American Legend Aircraft CO AL3 accident near Sedona, Arizona, August 30, 2016
On August 30, 2016 at about 6:02 pm local time, a 2008 American Legend Aircraft CO AL3, registered N114LC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona 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 directional control during the landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2016 · about 6:02 pm local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona · 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 2008 · all AL3s on the register
- Registration
- N114LC · registry record · serial AL-1140
- 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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during approach for landing the airplane encountered "slight" turbulence, but the wind was reported as calm. He further reported that there were building cumulus clouds in the area. The pilot reported that about 4 feet above the ground, the airplane encountered wind gusts from left to right, so he added power and right rudder. He reported that the airplane landed on the left main landing gear, immediately veered left, exited the left side of the runway and impacted a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage frame and right wing ribs. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations. As a recommendation the pilot reported that he should have gone around at the first indication of turbulence and tested the conditions further. He wrote that had the conditions worsened he would have departed the area for a suitable airport.
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
- Turbulence encounter during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 407.7 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 6.4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 382.7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 362.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200/A48 (piston); 363 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 5:15 pm
- Destination: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 5,132 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KSEZ, 74 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA16CA461.