# NTSB CEN25LA392: Diamond DA20-C1, N544KC, Terre Haute, IN, September 19, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 19, 2025, 13:56 local (17:56 UTC)
- Place: Terre Haute, IN · Runway 14 at HUF
- Coordinates: 39.450632, -87.30699 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4506&lon=-87.3070&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 15, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Indianapolis FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201718
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA392
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201718/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201718
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA392

## Probable cause

The failure of the nose landing gear strut and associated nosewheel separation during takeoff.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor and pilot-receiving-instruction were conducting an instructional flight when the nosewheel separated from the nose landing gear strut during takeoff. The flightcrew reported that the takeoff was normal and that there was no indication that the nosewheel had separated from the airplane. However, after the nosewheel was located on the runway, the flight instructor received a phone call from the airplane operator and then via subsequent radio calls over the operator dispatch frequency it was determined that the separated nosewheel was likely from their airplane. Then the airplane operator and airport tower controller each visually confirmed that the nosewheel was indeed missing from the airplane. During the subsequent landing, the nose landing gear strut collapsed aft when it contacted the runway. The composite fuselage structure sustained multiple cracks, the nose landing gear box delaminated, and the firewall delaminated from the fuselage during the landing. The lower portion of the nose landing gear strut welded assembly terminates with a threaded stud where a castellated nut and cotter pin secure the nosewheel fork assembly to the strut pivot. A postaccident examination determined that the threaded stud fractured which allowed the nosewheel fork to separate from the strut pivot. The castellated nut and cotter pin remained installed to the threaded portion of the fractured stud. In January 2023, the airplane manufacturer issued Service Information Letter (SIL) No. SIL20C1-014 to address cracks at the top of the nose landing gear strut pivot and/or at the top of the threaded stud. Additionally, the airplane manufacturer cautioned that a single hard landing may severely reduce the service life of the nose landing gear strut, and that improper assembly of the nose landing gear could result in cracking at the threaded stud which may result in the separation of the nosewheel fork assembly. The airplane manufacturer recommended a thorough examination of the nose landing gear strut pivot and threaded stud every 100 hours in accordance with the airframe maintenance manual instructions. The airplane manufacturer further stipulated that it was imperative that “all suspected hard landings are reported and the airplane inspected.” According to a postaccident review of maintenance documentation, there were no cracks observed on the nose landing gear strut when it was last examined during a 100-hour examination completed about 30.7 flight hours before the accident flight.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N544KC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N544KC), registered now, S/N C0544, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Diamond Aircraft DA20-C1
- Registry model: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1](https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da20-c1) (registry code 2990001) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-240-B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-240-b) (registry code 17177, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: C0544
- Year built: 2009
- Airframe hours: 3487
- Engines: Continental IO-240-B 125 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Indiana State University
- Registered owner: Indiana State University
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, September 8, 2025, 30.7 hours before
- Departed: HUF, Terra Haute, IN
- Destination: HUF, Terra Haute, IN
- Airport: HUF, Terre Haute Regional Airport, runway 14, 7,200 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 24; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 27, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 357 total, 9 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days
- Student pilot; age 19; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 31, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 70 total, 63 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observed at: HUF
- METAR: METAR KHUF 191753Z 16006KT 10SM CLR 32/15 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP170 T03170150 10317 20133 58006=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250919016949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250919016949A), Sep 19, 2025: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA20-C1, Terre Haute, IN, Substantial damage. 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…

## Docket (8 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 15, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201718. 10.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19750289&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20NTSB%20Form%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Email correspondence about airframe damage (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 679 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19749897&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20FAA%20Email%20About%20Airframe%20Damage_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Email correspondence about nose landing gear strut failure (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 700 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19750176&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20-%20FAA%20Email%20About%20Nose%20Landing%20Gear%20Strut%20Failure_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Diamond aircraft service information letter no SIL20C1-014 (nose landing gear maintenance and inspections) (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 398 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19750128&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=04%20-%20DA20-C1%20SIL20C1-014%20(Nose%20Landing%20Gear%20Maintenance%20and%20Inspections)_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Diamond aircraft DA20-C1 illustrated parts catalog excerpts (nose landing gear) (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 201 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19750299&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=05%20-%20DA20-C1%20IPC%20Excerpts%20(Nose%20Landing%20Gear)-Rel.pdf
- Diamond aircraft DA20-C1 airframe maintenance manual excerpts (nose landing gear) (item 6, PDF, 20 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19749721&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06%20-%20DA20-C1%20AMM%20Excerpts%20(Nose%20Landing%20Gear)-Rel.pdf
- Diamond aircraft DA20-C1 airframe maintenance manual excerpts (hard landing inspection) (item 7, PDF, 4 pages, 625 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19749829&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=07%20-%20DA20-C1%20AMM%20Excerpts%20(Hard%20Landing%20Inspection)-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 8, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19750186&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=08%20-%20Investigation%20Photographs%20(CEN25LA392)-Rel.pdf

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.

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