American Legend Aircraft CO AL3 accident near Petaluma, California, March 27, 2021
On March 27, 2021 at about 11:10 pm local time, a 2010 American Legend Aircraft CO AL3, registered N712YP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Petaluma, California (Petaluma Muni 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 2021 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Petaluma, California · Petaluma Muni · 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, built 2010 · all AL3s on the register
- Registration
- N712YP · registry record · serial AL-1158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, she experienced a wind gust and the airplane veered to the left and ground looped. The wings and lift struts were substantially damaged. 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,047 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 2,047 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 14, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 641 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APC Napa CA at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11/2, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 22°F (-6°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KO69
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 WPR21LA167.