# Accident 20090811048199A: Diamond Air DA 40, Rockingham, NC, August 11, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 2009, 17:00 local time
- Place: Rockingham, NC
- Airport: Richmond County Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8911° N, 79.7594° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8911&lon=-79.7594&mi=10
- Aircraft: N817PA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIR DA 40
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 572 total, 36 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09CA461](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA461) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090811048199A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PIC WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND WITH N817PA ON RUNWAY 31 WITH WINDS FROM 160 AT 11 KNOTS GUSTING TO 15, THIS ACCORDING TO THE FSS FOR THAT AREA AT THAT TIME.  THE RUNWAY EXHIBITED SKID MARKS FROM THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET BEFORE 'C' TAXIWAY, THEN 350 FEET FURTHER DOWN THE RUNWAY THERE WERE SKID MARKS FROM THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AS WELL.  BOTH SKID MARKS CONTINUED PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT STRIKING ONE TAXI LIGHT.  ONCE ON THE GRASS THERE WERE THREE PARALLEL LINES (THE THIRD FROM THE NOSE GEAR) WHICH CONTINUED ABOUT 600 FEET, THEN THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED OFF AN EMBANKMENT, ABOUT 9 FEET VERTICALLY, STRIKING SMALL TREES CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, TEARING OFF THE RIGHT WHEEL PANT, COLLAPSING THE RIGHT MLG, THEN TEARING THE NLG FROM THE AIRFRAME AND COMING TO REST ON ITS BELLY FACING THE RUNWAY.  THE FUSELAGE WAS SEVERED AND THE RUDDER/EMPENNAGE WERE DAMAGED AND LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE AIRFRAME.  THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE DESTROYED WITH ABOUT 15 INCHES OF ALL THREE BLADES REMAINING ATTACHED TO THE HUB.  UPON REVIEW OF THE WRECKAGE THERE WAS CONTINUITY OF CONTROL FROM THE CONTROL STICK TO ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA09CA461](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA461), Aug 11, 2009: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 (N817PA), Rockingham, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control on landing roll out.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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