- Date
- August 9, 2016, 18:05 local (Aug 10, 2016, 01:05 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N35451American Legend AL3
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160809021979A
- Case key
- 93804
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing with a crosswind.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during landing after the left main landing gear touched down, a gust of wind caused the airplane to veer to the left. The pilot further reported that he applied right rudder and full power to abort the landing, but the right main landing gear impacted an airport taxiway marker. The airplane spun to the right and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the forward left lift strut. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport, revealed that about 12 minutes before the accident the wind was 240 degrees true at 9 knots. A further review of the recorded data revealed that about 6 minutes after the accident the wind was 240 degrees true at 7 knots. The airplane landed on runway 28L.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during landing after the left main landing gear touched down, a gust of wind caused the airplane to veer to the left. The pilot further reported that he applied right rudder and full power to abort the landing, but the right main landing gear impacted an airport taxiway marker. The airplane spun to the right and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the forward left lift strut. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport, revealed that about 12 minutes before the accident the wind was 240 degrees true at 9 knots. A further review of the recorded data revealed that about 6 minutes after the accident the wind was 240 degrees true at 7 knots. The airplane landed on runway 28L.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35451
- Reported as
- American Legend AL3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AL-1054
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 819.8
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 16, 2016
- Departed
- MYF · San Diego, CA
- Destination
- MYF · San Diego, CA
- Airport
- MYF · Montgomery Field, runway 28L, 3,401 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Angle of attack indicator, Satellite tracking device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Heads up display, Onboard weather
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 21, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 273 total · 39 in this make and model · 220 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- KMYF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.