# NTSB ERA09CA299: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40, N482MA, Montgomery, NY, May 9, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: May 9, 2009, 16:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place: Montgomery, NY
- Coordinates: 41.509723, -74.264442 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5097&lon=-74.2644&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 28, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA Teterboro FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 73879
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09CA299
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73879/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA299

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control on landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's lack of total experience as an instructor and delayed corrective action.

## Findings

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

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2990002), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Experience/qualifications: total experience in position](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031020): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031020/cases.md?model=2990002), [All aircraft, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031020/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2990002), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2990002), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor (CFI), who had 4 total hours as a CFI at the time of the accident, was conducting an instructional flight with a student pilot. The student pilot made 3 touch-and-go landings to Runway 21. The surface winds at the airport were 200 degrees at 12 knots. The CFI stated that the student did not maintain airspeed, resulting in a sink rate on the previous approaches. He instructed the student to conduct a short field approach with an obstacle. The student conducted the before landing check, lowered the flaps to the first notch and turned on base. The student lowered flaps to the full down position, turned final, and continued the approach. The airplane descended to 25 feet over the runway when the airspeed decreased and the airplane entered a vertical rate of descent. The student pilot did not apply power. The CFI reached over to add power, missed the throttle, flared the airplane, and it collided with the runway hard, resulting in structural damage to the airframe. No mechanical problems were reported by the CFI.

## Factual narrative

The flight instructor (CFI) who has 4 total hours as a CFI was conducting an instructional flight with a student pilot. The student pilot made 3 touch and go landings to runway 21. The surface winds at the airport were 200 degrees at 12 knots. The CFI stated the student did not maintain airspeed resulting in a sink rate on the previous approaches. He instructed the student to conduct a short field approach with an obstacle. The student conducted the before landing check, lowered the flaps to the first notch and turned on base. The student lowered flaps to the full down position, turned final, and continued the approach. The airplane descended to 25 feet over the runway when the airspeed decreased and the airplane entered a vertical rate of descent. The student pilot did not apply power. The CFI reached over to add power, missed the throttle, flared the airplane, and it collided with the runway hard resulting in structural damage to the airframe. No mechanical problems were reported by the CFI.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N482MA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N482MA), registered now, S/N 40.552, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 40
- Registry model: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40](https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da-40) (registry code 2990002) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-M1A+](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-m1a-plus) (registry code 41869, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 40.552
- Airframe hours: 601
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-MIA+ 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Mac Dan Aviation
- Registered owner: Spr Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 5, 2009, 3 hours before
- Departed: MGJ, Montgomery, NY
- Destination: MGJ, Montgomery, NY
- Airport: MGJ, Orange County Airport, runway 21, 5,007 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 51; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 7, 2008; seat: right; flight hours: 552 total, 120 in this make and model, 425 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; age 36; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3; seat: left; flight hours: 100 total, 100 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.50 inHg
- Observed at: MGJ

## FAA reports on this event (1)

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

- [Incident 20090509010259I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090509010259I), May 9, 2009: Diamon DA40, Montgomery, NY, Substantial damage. (-23) The PIC was instructing [privacy data omitted] flying from the left seat and [privacy data omitted] in the rear seat. This was the first time the student…

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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