# NTSB DEN01LA122: Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20C-1, N981CT, Provo, UT, July 16, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 16, 2001, 11:35 local (17:35 UTC) - Place: Provo, UT - Coordinates: 40.219673, -111.690551 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2197&lon=-111.6906&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 52730 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN01LA122 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52730/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA122 ## Probable cause the inadvertent stall by the pilot during an aborted landing. Contributing factors were an excessive flare, premature retraction of the flaps, and gusty wind conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - flare - excessive, pilot in command (contributing factor) - recovery from bounced landing - initiated, pilot in command - raising of flaps - premature, pilot in command (contributing factor) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot was making a short field landing on runway 13. AWOS reported the wind to be from 140 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot said he flared, but the airplane floated "in ground effect for longer than normal, so I cut the power back from about 1600 rpm to idle to bleed my airspeed." Witnesses said it appeared he flared excessively. The airplane bounced when it touched down. The pilot aborted the landing, applied full power, and retracted the flaps. Witnesses said the airplane assumed a nose high attitude, rolled left and right, then struck the ground 100 feet to the right of the runway. ## Factual narrative On July 16, 2001, approximately 1135 mountain daylight time, a Diamond DA 20C-1, N981CT, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain following a loss of control during an aborted landing at Provo Municipal Airport, Provo, Utah. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan had been filed for the cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Fillmore, Utah, approximately 1030. On numerous occasions, the pilot was asked to complete NTSB Form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report. Although he stated that he would, no report was ever received. He did submit a written statement to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a copy of which was provided to the NTSB investigator-in-charge. The chief pilot for Utah Valley State College, the airplane's operator, did complete an accident report. The following is based on that report and the pilot's written statement to the FAA. The pilot was returning from a cross-country flight and was landing on runway 13. He decided to make a short field landing. The Provo AWOS (Automated Weather Observation System) reported the wind to be from 140 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot said he flared, but the airplane floated "in ground effect for longer than normal, so I cut the power back from about 1600 rpm to idle to bleed my airspeed." The chief pilot said the pilot misjudged the wind. Witnesses said it appeared the pilot flared excessively. The airplane bounced when it touched down. The pilot said he aborted the landing, applied full power, and retracted the flaps. Witnesses said the airplane assumed a nose high attitude, rolled left and right, then struck the ground 100 feet to the right of the runway. Photographs taken by an FAA inspector shortly after the accident showed the flaps were retracted. The photographs also showed the nose landing gear was sheared off, the forward section of the fuselage was buckled, and the empennage was severed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N981CT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N981CT-2018-03-08), registration cancelled 2018-03-08, S/N C0081, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20C-1 - Registry model: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1](https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da20-c1) (registry code 2990001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-200](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-200) (registry code 17021, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: C0081 - Airframe hours: 1542 - Engines: Continental IO-240B 124 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Utah Valley State College - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 26, 2001, 50 hours before - Departed: U19, Fillmore, UT - Destination: PVU, Provo, UT - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PVU, Provo Municipal, runway 13, 8,599 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 23; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 37 total, 37 in this make and model, 9 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: PVU ## 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 20010716018079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010716018079A), Jul 16, 2001: Diamon DA20C1, Provo, UT, No damage. (-23) On July 16, 2001, approximately 1130 mountain daylight time, a diamond DA-20-C-1, N981CT was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during… 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. --- 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.