# NTSB investigations: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR26LA196](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA196.md): Diamond DA40 · Wells, NV · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 17, 2026 · N787PV · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inability to maintain climb performance and clearance from mountainous terrain due to a downdraft.
- [NTSB WPR22FA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA164.md): Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 · Cedar City, UT · Accident · 4 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Apr 24, 2022 · N321PF · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain obstacle clearance, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to operate the airplane above its maximum gross weight.
- [NTSB CEN18LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA014.md): Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 · Gustavus, OH · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 17, 2017 · N105MK · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s geographic disorientation while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern in dark night conditions, which resulted in the airplane descending below a normal approach path and a collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's…
- [NTSB ERA13CA389](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA389.md): Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 · Blairsville, GA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 30, 2013 · N447JP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into deteriorating weather, which resulted in an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent inability to maintain clearance with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA13WA319](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13WA319.md): Diamond DA40-180 · Ticlio, Peru · Accident · 2 fatal · Foreign investigation · Jul 11, 2013 · N293DS · Destroyed
- [NTSB ERA11FA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA085.md): Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 · Pearlington, MS · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 13, 2010 · N361DS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s controlled flight into terrain likely due to spatial disorientation, while flying over sparsely lighted terrain at night.
- [NTSB WPR09FA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA146.md): Diamond Aircraft Ind DA-40 · Arcata, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 2, 2009 · N521DS · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude and glidepath while executing a night instrument approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's fatigue.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2990002', '05611H8', '2990011')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '120' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence?model=2990002

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