OpenAirDocs.org

20170530004669I

Incident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA incident report · Diamond Aircraft Ind DA40 F · Waterford, MI · May 30, 2017

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
May 30, 2017 · 11:35 local
Place
Waterford, MI
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N96FC
Reported as
Diamond Aircraft Ind DA40 F
Reported engine
Lycoming O-360-A4M
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
5,520 total104 in this make and model102 in the last 90 days
N96FCRegistration cancelled Sep 2, 2020 · Diamond Aircraft Ind DA40 FS/N 40.FC015 · Built 2006Airframe modelDiamond Aircraft Ind DA40 FEngine modelLycoming O-360-A4M4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Instruction flight practicing normal takeoffs and landings in right traffic on runway 27L. After 4 circuits and while on the crosswind leg the tower requested a short approach to sequence ahead of inbound traffic on the left downwind. Instructor pilot used the opportunity to practice a simulated engine out to landing. Tower notified of simulated engine out for the short approach and tower cleared for the option. At the threshold the aircraft was offset well to the right of the center line and pointed about 10 degrees left of runway alignment. Instructor and second pilot considered the runway made but felt that a go around was the best option. Instructor pilot took controls, increased engine power and banked to the right to improve the runway alignment. Wheels estimated to be 5 feet above the runway at that time. Best estimate is this is when the wingtip struck the runway light however nothing was heard or felt by either crew. The flight continued for 3 more takeoffs and landings. Before the last landing the tower informed that another aircraft reported a broken landing light near the runway 27L threshold on the right side. When securing the aircraft damage was found to the right wingtip and the tower was subsequently notified.

As the FAA filed it

INSTRUCTION FLIGHT PRACTICING NORMAL TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS IN RIGHT TRAFFIC ON RUNWAY 27L. AFTER 4 CIRCUITS AND WHILE ON THE CROSSWIND LEG THE TOWER REQUESTED A SHORT APPROACH TO SEQUENCE AHEAD OF INBOUND TRAFFIC ON THE LEFT DOWNWIND. INSTRUCTOR PILOT USED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE A SIMULATED ENGINE OUT TO LANDING. TOWER NOTIFIED OF SIMULATED ENGINE OUT FOR THE SHORT APPROACH AND TOWER CLEARED FOR THE OPTION. AT THE THRESHOLD THE AIRCRAFT WAS OFFSET WELL TO THE RIGHT OF THE CENTER LINE AND POINTED ABOUT 10 DEGREES LEFT OF RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. INSTRUCTOR AND SECOND PILOT CONSIDERED THE RUNWAY MADE BUT FELT THAT A GO AROUND WAS THE BEST OPTION. INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK CONTROLS, INCREASED ENGINE POWER AND BANKED TO THE RIGHT TO IMPROVE THE RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. WHEELS ESTIMATED TO BE 5 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY AT THAT TIME. BEST ESTIMATE IS THIS IS WHEN THE WINGTIP STRUCK THE RUNWAY LIGHT HOWEVER NOTHING WAS HEARD OR FELT BY EITHER CREW. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED FOR 3 MORE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. BEFORE THE LAST LANDING THE TOWER INFORMED THAT ANOTHER AIRCRAFT REPORTED A BROKEN LANDING LIGHT NEAR THE RUNWAY 27L THRESHOLD ON THE RIGHT SIDE. WHEN SECURING THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS FOUND TO THE RIGHT WINGTIP AND THE TOWER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY NOTIFIED.