American Legand Aircraft AL18 accident near Social Circle, Georgia, March 10, 2020
On March 10, 2020 at about 8:45 pm local time, a 2016 American Legand Aircraft AL18, registered N23TN, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Social Circle, Georgia. 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 airplane control while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in the collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2020 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Social Circle, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Legand Aircraft AL18, built 2016
- Registration
- N23TN · registry record · serial AL-1206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was conducting a low pass through an abandoned power line easement on a small lake peninsula. He was flying directly into the wind, and as the airplane approached hilly terrain, the wind changed. The airplane then encountered turbulence and impacted terrain. The airplane subsequently bounced, and the pilot applied "heavy braking, The airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the right-wing strut and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Nose over/nose down
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,553 hours in all; 158 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 4,125 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 21, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming YO-233-B2A (piston); 168 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1GA9 Monroe GA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 1GA9 Monroe GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from D73, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 9, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Map of Accident Location | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.