Amateur-built LANCAIR LEGACY accident near Troy, Michigan, December 25, 2010
On December 25, 2010 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built LANCAIR LEGACY, registered N385AS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Troy, Michigan (Oakland/Troy Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 adequate airspeed during the landing which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was the structural icing on the airframe.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 25, 2010 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Troy, Michigan · Oakland/Troy Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR LEGACY
- Registration
- N385AS · registry record · serial L2K-202
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a weather briefing and there were no reports of icing along the intended route of flight. The experimental airplane was equipped with a de-ice system, and during the preflight inspection, the system was operational and continued to be operational during the flight. Prior to entering icing conditions, the pilot said the de-ice system indicated a "failure" but he was not concerned because he was in the clouds and the airframe was not accumulating any ice. Shortly thereafter during the descent, the airplane accumulated approximately 6 to 10 millimeters of rime ice. He reported the ice to the air traffic controller who cleared the pilot to a lower altitude. Because of the ice on the airplane, the pilot stated that he maintained a higher than usual airspeed in the pattern and on final approach. While over the threshold, the airplane encountered an abrupt, counter clockwise roll, and he was unable to recover with the altitude remaining. He said the left main landing gear contacted the runway, and collapsed. The airplane turned to the left and came to rest upright on the runway surface. He estimated the wind was from 350 degrees at 10 knots. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left wing sustained substantial damage. Other than the de-ice system, the pilot reported no additional anomalies with the airplane. The reason for the de-ice system failure was not determined.
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
- Structural icing during enroute (descent)
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 551 hours in all; 227 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 479 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 465 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bowers Harbor Legacy N385As LLC
The flight
- Departed from: TVC Traverse City MI at 4:41 pm
- Destination: VLL Troy MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 3,549 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.