American Legend Aircraft CO AL18 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, March 28, 2024
On March 28, 2024 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 2014 American Legend Aircraft CO AL18, registered N458RS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Deer Valley 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 directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2024 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Legend Aircraft CO AL18, built 2014 · all AL18s on the register
- Registration
- N458RS · registry record · serial AL-1188
- 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 after touchdown, while he applied aft control stick input for a 3-point landing, the main wheels either lifted off the ground or became light. The airplane began to drift to the left and the pilot attempted to correct with right rudder. However, the airplane settled back onto the runway in a “crossed up/forward motion,” the airplane began to skid, and the left wing struck the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 7R, and the wind was calm.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 226 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 145 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2023
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 191.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 2023; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming YO-233-B2A (piston); 214 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07R, 8,196 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KDVT, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDVT 281953Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 23/01 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP136 T02280011
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 19, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 1 page | 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.