ERA20CA143

NTSB accident investigation · Diamond DA42 · Palm Coast, FL · April 1, 2020

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 1, 2020, 09:00 local (13:00 UTC)
Place
Palm Coast, FL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N311ERDiamond DA42
Defining event
Approach: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 29, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA / FSDO
FAA report
20200401003869A
Case key
101139

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

The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain airplane control during a simulated engine failure landing and subsequent attempted go-around in gusting crosswind conditions and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

Findings · 6

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG: 3 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Action: delayed actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilotDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG: 3 casesAll aircraft: 894 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parametersAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,269 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,008 casesProbable cause
Wind: gustsEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,199 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: tree(s)Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG: 1 caseAll aircraft: 933 cases

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 flight instructor reported that the pilot receiving instruction was practicing a simulated single-engine failure to a landing in the multiengine airplane. The left engine was set to about 12% power, simulating a feathered propeller engine failure. While on final approach to land, the airplane started to drift right of the runway, and the pilot receiving instruction reported that he was having difficulty controlling the airplane due to strong prevailing winds. The instructor reported that he told the pilot receiving instruction to use more left rudder, but the airplane continued to drift right. The pilot receiving instruction decided to abort the landing and initiated a go-around by advancing both engines to full power. During the go-around, the airplane drifted left and then the instructor took the flight controls and applied full right rudder. The airplane continued drifting left, descended, and impacted vegetation, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and empennage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A crosswind component of between 6 and 10 knots existed.

Factual narrative

The flight instructor of the multi-engine airplane reported that, the student pilot was practicing a simulated in-flight engine failure to a landing. The left engine's was set to about 12% power, simulating a feathered propeller engine failure. While on finial approach to land, the airplane started to drift to the right of the runway, and the student pilot reported that he was having difficulty controlling the airplane during the single engine approach due to the strong wind that prevailed. The instructor reported that he told the student to use more left rudder, but the airplane continued to drift right. The student decided to abort the landing and initiated a go-around by advancing both engines to full power. During the go-around, the airplane drifted to left, the instructor took the flight controls and applied full right rudder. The airplane continued drifting to the left, descended, impacted vegetation, and the landing gear collapsed. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and empennage. At the time of the accident a wind from 40 degrees right of the runway centerline at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots prevailed. The calculated crosswind component was from the right at between 6 and 10 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N311ER
Reported as
Diamond DA42 (NG)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
42.N212
Built
2016
Airframe hours
2,271.1
Engines
Austro Engine e4-c-00-000-0, 165 horsepower, reciprocatingAustro Engine e4-c-00-000-0, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Inc
Registered owner
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · March 5, 2020
Departed
DAB · Daytona Beach, FL
Destination
FIN · Palm Coast, FL
Airport
FIN · Flagler Executive, runway 29, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, 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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
26
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 20, 2019
Seat
Right
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
1,439 total · 584 in this make and model · 1,311 as pilot in command · 199 in the last 90 days · 69 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot
Age
20
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
October 4, 2019
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
235 total · 16 in this make and model · 162 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
330° at 10 knots, gusting 15
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
57 °F, dew point 48 °F
Altimeter
29.85 inHg
Observed at
FIN

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 17, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.