# Accident 20210103002869A: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA 40, Portsmouth, NH, January 3, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 3, 2021, 11:45 local time
- Place: Portsmouth, NH
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Location: 43.0779° N, 70.8233° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0779&lon=-70.8233&mi=10
- Aircraft: N489RS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N489RS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 (registry code 2990002, https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da-40) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 40
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA099) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210103002869A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATEMENT: THIS WAS A DIAMOND TRANSITION FLIGHT FOR THE INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT. HE HAS

JUST TRANSFERRED TO OUR SCHOOL AND CURRENTLY RENTS WITH US. THIS FLIGHT WAS IN LIEU OF HIS DESIRE TO EXECUTE

AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT IN ONE OF OUR ARCHERS DUE TO ICING IN CLOUDS ABOVE 2K FEET THAT DAY. WE DECIDED TO

EXECUTE A DUAL FLIGHT FOR DIAMOND TRANSITION INSTEAD. THE STUDENT WAS ABLE TO TAXI, TAKE OFF, CRUISE,

NAVIGATE, COMMUNICATE, AND LAND UNDER SUPERVISION. AFTER LANDING I TRANSFERRED CONTROL TO MYSELF AND I

EXECUTED THE ROLLOUT, EXIT, CONTACT, AND TAXI-BACK TO 34 VIA B-A. I TRANSFERRED CONTROL BACK TO THE STUDENT

AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE 34. AT ABOUT 11:15AM, HOLDING SHORT, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE RIGHT

WING. ALSO RV N311VA REPORTED A FIRE ON MY WHEEL. HE WAS LANDING 34. I RADIOED TO ATC THAT I WAS

SHUTTING DOWN. THEY ASKED IF I NEEDED ASSISTANCE. I ASKED THEM TO SEND SOMEONE. UPON EVACUATION

WE SAW THE FIRE IN THE RIGHT WHEEL-PANT AND MOVED AWAY. I DID CALL 911 ONCE I OBSERVED THE FIRE AS I WAS

NOT IN CONTACT WITH ATC ANYMORE AND I DID NOT RECALL AT THAT MOMENT IF I HAD BEEN CLEAR THAT THERE WAS

AN URGENT NEED FOR ASSISTANCE. THE FLAMES MOVED UP INTO THE WING WITHIN ABOUT 3 MINUTES, THEN THE

TRUCKS ARRIVED. WE WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE FBO AND EVALUATED BY EMT'S.

AS I WAS ON THE CONTROLS I CAN ATTEST THAT THERE WAS NO EXCESSIVE BRAKING DURING THE TAXI, ONLY NORMAL TAPS TO RIGHT AND LEFT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THERE WAS NORMAL BRAKING POWER AVAILABLE RIGHT UP TO STOP AT HOLD SHORT LINE, EVEN AS THE RIGHT WHEEL WAS ON FIRE. THIS WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT IMMEDIATELY AFTER DELIVERY FROM ITS WING SPAR AD COMPLIANCE IN NORTH CAROLINA. I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCEDURES OF DIS- AND RE- ASSEMBLY IN THE AD.

THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS STILL UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER IN COOPERATION WITH THE NTSB WILL BE DISASSEMBLING THE AIRCRAFT FOR RETURN VIA TRUCK AND WILL PERFORM AN INSPECTION AT THAT TIME. VIDEO INDICATES THAT THE FIRE STARTED ON THE RIGHT MLG AND TRAVELED UPWARD TO THE LOWER SIDE OF THE RIGHT WING.

## 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 ERA21LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA099), Jan 3, 2021: Diamond DA 40 (N489RS), Portsmouth, NH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The instructor’s multiple applications of the airplane’s brakes during high-speed taxi over a short duration, which overheated and ignited the right main landing gear wheel brake assembly.

## Other reports on N489RS (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20091125052269I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091125052269I), Nov 25, 2009: Diamond Air DA 40 (N489RS), Norwood, MA, No damage. Preliminary reports indicated the aircraft elevator was stuck at 3/4 nose up while at 4,000 ft. after contacting the pilot it was discovered that the aircraft…

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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