- Date
- March 27, 2021, 16:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Petaluma, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N712YPAmerican Legend AL3
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20210327009059A
- Case key
- 102956
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 while landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 3
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 the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, she experienced a wind gust and the airplane veered to the left and ground looped. The wings and lift struts were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N712YP
- Reported as
- American Legend AL3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AL-1158
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 641
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Napa Taildraggers Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 23, 2020
- Departed
- APC · Napa, CA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- O69 · Petaluma Muni, runway 11/29, 3,600 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 14, 2020
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,047 total · 109 in this make and model · 2,047 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 7 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 22 °F, dew point 5 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- KO69
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.