# Accident 20250919016949A: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA20-C1, Terre Haute, IN, September 19, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 19, 2025, 13:56 local time
- Place: Terre Haute, IN
- Airport: Terre Haute Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Location: 39.4506° N, 87.3070° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4506&lon=-87.3070&mi=10
- Aircraft: N544KC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N544KC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1 (registry code 2990001, https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da20-c1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-240-B (registry code 17177, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-240-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA20-C1
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-240-B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 356 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA392](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA392) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250919016949A

## Narrative

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

ON 09/19/2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:56PM EDT, STUDENT PILOT AND CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) COMPLETED A PRE-FLIGHT CHECK INCLUDING VERIFYING THE NUT AND COTTER PIN FOR THE NOSE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AT TERRE HAUTE REGIONAL AIRPORT, IN.  BOTH PILOTS STATED THE TAXI AND TAKE OFF WERE NORMAL.  NEITHER PILOT WAS AWARE OF THE NOSE WHEEL DEPARTURE UNTIL THEY WERE NOTIFIED ONE WAS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY AND COMPLETED A PASS OF THE TOWER FOR VERIFICATION.  THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE THE STUDENT LOOKED FOR AN APPROPIATE CHECKLIST.  NONE WAS FOUND.  IT WAS DETERMINED TO USE SOFT FIELD LANDING PROCEDURES TO KEEP THE NOSE OFF THE GROUND AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.  UPON LANDING, THE NOSE WHEEL STRUT SLID ALONG THE PAVEMENT AND CAUGHT A SEAM IN THE PAVEMENT CAUSING THE DAMAGE.

## 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 CEN25LA392](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA392), Sep 19, 2025: Diamond DA20-C1 (N544KC), Terre Haute, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the nose landing gear strut and associated nosewheel separation during takeoff.

## Other reports on N544KC (1)

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

- [Incident 20200925016459I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200925016459I), Sep 25, 2020: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA20-C1 (N544KC), Terre Haute, IN, No damage. On September 25, 2020, at approximately 2:30PM (EST), an instructor and student were conducting a dual, local instrument lesson flight under CFR part 141. The…

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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