# NTSB ERA14CA095: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 20 C1, N353DC, Milledgeville, GA, January 16, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 16, 2014, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Milledgeville, GA - Coordinates: 33.154167, -83.241386 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1542&lon=-83.2414&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: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 88682 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA095 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88682/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88682 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA095 ## Probable cause The student pilots inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [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 DA20-C1, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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 DA20-C1, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, while flying the final leg of the traffic pattern, during his solo flight, he noticed that the airplane was "too high," and pulled the power to idle. Then he noted that the airplane was "too fast" and applied back pressure to the control yoke. The airplane then ballooned and subsequently the student pilot added power to go around; however, the airplane impacted the runway in a nose down attitude, became airborne, impacted the runway again, the nose gear assembly collapsed, and the airplane came to rest in the dirt on the left side of the runway. The accident sequence resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. There were no reported preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the student pilot, while flying the final leg of the traffic pattern, during his solo flight, he noticed that the airplane was "too high," and pulled the power to idle. Then he noted that the airplane was "too fast" and applied back pressure to the control yoke. The airplane then ballooned and subsequently the student pilot added power to go around; however, the airplane impacted the runway in a nose down attitude, became airborne, impacted the runway again, the nose gear assembly collapsed, and the airplane came to rest in the dirt on the left side of the runway. The accident sequence resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. There were no reported preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N353DC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N353DC-2019-03-19), registration cancelled 2019-03-19, S/N C0353, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 20 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: C0353 - Year built: 2005 - Airframe hours: 2981 - Engines: Continental Motors Inc. IO-240-B 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Falcon Aviation Academy - Registered owner: Scc Aviation Holdings LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 30, 2013 - Departed: CCO, Newnan, GA - Destination: MLJ, Milledgeville, GA - Airport: MLJ, Baldwin County Airport, runway 28, 5,509 × 99 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 22; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 56 total, 56 in this make and model, 6 as pilot in command, 56 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point -11 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: MLJ ## 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 20140116000429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140116000429A), Jan 16, 2014: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA 20-C1, Milledgeville, GA, Substantial damage. Aircraft was on final to runway 28 when the student pilot notices he was too high. He stated that he places the throttle to flight idle. When he was about to… ## Other investigations on N353DC (1) 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. - [NTSB ERA15CA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA243), Jun 17, 2015: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 20 C1 (N353DC), Moreland, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's inaccurate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 14, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88682. 2.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408942&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Student Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408452&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Flight Instructor Statement (item 3, .PDF, 86 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409243&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 4, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408454&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - MLJ Weather Observations (item 5, .PDF, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409129&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=MLJ%20Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Photo 1: View of Airplane at Rest (Courtesy of FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 555 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408455&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20View%20of%20Airplane%20at%20Rest%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.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. --- 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.