- Date
- April 9, 2026, 09:18 local (15:18 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N311LHDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG
- Defining event
- Landing: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260409003429A
- Case key
- 202827
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Maintenance personnel's installation of an oversized tire, which prevented the left main landing gear from extending resulting in a precautionary gear up landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during the approach, the left main landing gear did not extend. The pilot attempted to cycle the landing gear and utilize the alternate landing gear extension system; however, the left main landing gear remained in the stowed position. The pilot chose to perform a gear up landing, which resulted in substantial damage to both engine mounts. The pilot reported that a postaccident examination revealed that the landing gear tires were incorrect part number and oversized by about 1 inch, and maintenance personnel changed the tires two days before the accident. Due to the oversized tire, the left main landing gear became wedged in the wheel well, which prevented the landing gear from extending.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N311LH
- Reported as
- Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 42.036
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 3,903.7
- Engines
- Austero E4, 168 horsepower, reciprocatingAustero E4, 168 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 4, 2026
- Departed
- LXV · Leadville, CO
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- COS · Colorado Springs, runway 13, 8,270 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 22, 2025
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,946 total · 96 in this make and model · 4,723 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 124 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.08 inHg
- Observed at
- KCOS, 1 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KCOS 091654Z 00000KT 10SM FEW100 SCT160 SCT250 19/M06 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP125 T01941056=
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.