# Accident 20200819014069A: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA 40, Benson, AZ, August 19, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 19, 2020, 21:30 local time
- Place: Benson, AZ
- Airport: Benson
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: B4VS
- Location: 31.9994° N, 110.3600° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9994&lon=-110.3600&mi=10
- Aircraft: N386MA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N386MA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 (registry code 2990002, https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da-40) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 40
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 374 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA290) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200819014069A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATEMENT STATES INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT FLYING NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, WITH STUDENT AT THE CONTROLS, FIRM LANDING AT APPROXIMATELY 67 KNOTS YET MAIN GEAR DID NOT LEAVE THE GROUND.  THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE BY THE NOSE GEAR WHEN AIRCRAFT NOSE WAS LOWERED TO THE GROUND.  NOSE WAS RAISED TO KEEP WEIGHT OFF THE GEAR, AS AIRCRAFT LOST SPEED THE NOSE CAME DOWN WITH A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND A LOW PITCH ATTITUDE, INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROLS AND SHUT DOWN ENGINE.  NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND AIRCRAFT CONTINUED SLIDING ON THE LOWER COWLING.

## 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 WPR20LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA290), Aug 20, 2020: Diamond DA 40 (N386MA), Benson, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the nose landing due to fatigue cracking.

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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