American Legend AL-3C accident near Mckinney, Texas, April 20, 2009
On April 20, 2009 at about 10:42 pm local time, a American Legend AL-3C, registered N273MS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mckinney, Texas (Collin County Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THe pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing. Contributing to the accident were gusty crosswinds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2009 · about 10:42 pm local time
- Place
- Mckinney, Texas · Collin County Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Legend AL-3C
- Registration
- N273MS · registry record · serial AL-1051
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing rollout in gusty wind conditions, the commercial pilot applied too much pressure on the heel brake of his tailwheel-equipped single-engine airplane, which caused the tail to rise. The wind then carried the airplane over on to its back, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing strut and vertical stabilizer.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abrupt maneuver during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Unneccessary action › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,919 hours in all; 88 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mcright-Smith Aviation, LP
The flight
- Departed from: TKI Mckinney TX
- Destination: TKI Mckinney TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 17
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.