American Legend Aircraft CO AL3 accident near Elberta, Alabama, May 31, 2016
On May 31, 2016 at about 3:45 pm local time, a 2012 American Legend Aircraft CO AL3, registered N156WB, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Elberta, Alabama (Perdido Winds Airpark 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
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the engine ran normally during a postaccident engine test run with no anomalies noted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2016 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Elberta, Alabama · Perdido Winds Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Legend Aircraft CO AL3 UNDESIGNAT, built 2012 · all AL3s on the register
- Registration
- N156WB · no longer on the register · serial AL-1173
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot reported that he had conducted two uneventful touch-and-go landings in the light-sport airplane. After the pilot climbed the airplane to about 200 ft above ground level, the engine lost total power. The pilot tried to turn back to the airport, but the airplane lost altitude and struck some trees about 50 ft short of the runway. The pilot observed fuel "pouring out" of the airplane and shut off the electrical system before exiting the airplane. During a postaccident test run of the engine at several power settings, the engine performed normally with no anomalies noted. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be 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
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 196 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 163 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 12, 2016
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 275.7 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 28, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200-D (piston); 405 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AL08 Elberta AL
- Destination: AL08 Elberta AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from JKA, 11 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N156WB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.