N23TN – American Legand Aircraft AL18 – 2020-03-10 NTSB Accident Report

On March 10, 2020, a American Legand Aircraft AL18 (N23TN) was involved in an incident near Social Circle, GA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in the collision with terrain.

According to the pilot, he was doing a low pass through an abandoned powerline easement on a small lake peninsula, which included a small hill. He was flying directly into the wind and as the airplane approached the hill, the wind direction changed as a result of the terrain, and the airplane encountered mechanical turbulence. The airplane wheels impacted the ground, the airplane bounced, and the pilot applied "heavy braking." Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the right-wing strut and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA20CA131. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N23TN.