# Incident 20210620020709I: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA 40, El Paso, TX, June 20, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 20, 2021, 08:00 local time
- Place: El Paso, TX
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.7587° N, 106.4869° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of El Paso, TX, within about 9 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.7587&lon=-106.4869&mi=10
- Aircraft: N770RS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N770RS) (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 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 40
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210620020709I

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 20, 2021, AT 1400 UTC, N770RS, A DIAMOND DA40, SINGLE ENGINE RECIPROCATING-ENGINE AIRCRAFT, REGISTERED TO RICHARD BENITO, WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF RWY22 AT INTERSECTION K1 (10,900? RWY REMAINING) AT KELP AIRPORT BY THE LOCAL ATC TOWER; HOWEVER, THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO DEPART IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON RWY04 AT K1 (900? RWY REMAINING).  THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY PAVEMENT/THRESHOLD ONTO THE RWY04 OVERRUN.  NO FAA FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT KELP. THE SOLO COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPORT THRESHOLD LIGHTING WAS DAMAGED, AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO PROPELLER AND GEAR.

THE PILOT WAS UNWILLING TO MAKE ANY FORMAL VERBAL OR WRITTEN STATEMENT REGARDING HIS ACTIONS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT EITHER DIRECTLY TO THE FAA ABQ FSDO OR INDIRECTLY THROUGH HIS AVIATION ATTORNEY OF RECORD DUE TO "LEGAL LIABILITY CONCERNS".

THE PILOT CLEARLY TOOK OFF IN THE WRONG DIRECTION (CONTRARY TO HIS ATC TAKEOFF CLEARANCE) WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY TO GET AIRBORNE ON A HOT AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE SUMMER DAY AT THE EL PASO AIRPORT, KELP, WITH JUST 900 FT OF RUNWAY. SIMPLE POH PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS CONFIRM THIS FACT. THIS SOLE ACTION (THE ROOT CAUSE) RESULTED IN THE INCIDENT. THE REASON THE PILOT DECIDED TO TAKEOFF IN THE WRONG DIRECTION CANNOT BE DETERMINED AND THE PILOT IS UNWILLING (FOR "LEGAL REASONS") TO PROVIDE ANY EXPLANATION TO THE FAA FOR HIS ACTIONS RESULTING IN THE INCIDENT.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.