- Date
- August 30, 2016, 11:02 local (18:02 UTC)
- Place
- Sedona, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N114LCAmerican Legend AL3
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160830007069A
- Case key
- 93936
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 the landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion.
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
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during approach for landing the airplane encountered "slight" turbulence, but the wind was reported as calm. He further reported that there were building cumulus clouds in the area. The pilot reported that about 4 feet above the ground, the airplane encountered wind gusts from left to right, so he added power and right rudder. He reported that the airplane landed on the left main landing gear, immediately veered left, exited the left side of the runway and impacted a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage frame and right wing ribs. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations. As a recommendation the pilot reported that he should have gone around at the first indication of turbulence and tested the conditions further. He wrote that had the conditions worsened he would have departed the area for a suitable airport.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during approach for landing the airplane encountered "slight" turbulence, but the wind was reported as calm. He further reported that there were building cumulus clouds in the area. The pilot reported that about 4 feet above the ground, the airplane encountered wind gusts from left to right, so he added power and right rudder. He reported that the airplane landed on the left main landing gear, immediately veered left, exited the left side of the runway and impacted a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage frame and right wing ribs. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations. As a recommendation the pilot reported that he should have gone around at the first indication of turbulence and tested the conditions further. He wrote that had the conditions worsened he would have departed the area for a suitable airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N114LC
- Reported as
- American Legend AL3 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AL-1140
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 362.8
- Engine
- Continental O-200/A48, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 12, 2015
- Departed
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Destination
- SEZ · Sedona, AZ
- Airport
- SEZ · Sedona, runway 03, 5,132 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 15, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 407.7 total · 51 in this make and model · 382.7 as pilot in command · 6.4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KSEZ, 74 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 755 KB 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.