# NTSB ERA23LA125: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1, N116CL, Pikeville, NC, February 6, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: February 6, 2023, 17:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place: Pikeville, NC · 500 to 700 ft from the threshold of runway 23
- Coordinates: 35.464585, -77.96094 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4646&lon=-77.9609&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106732
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA125
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106732/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106732
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA125

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

## Findings

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

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2990001), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing: 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

The student pilot reported that during the fifth solo landing of the day the airplane began to yaw to the left of centerline after touching down. He applied right rudder but was unable to correct the yaw and the right main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the main wing spar and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N116CL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N116CL), registered now, S/N C0016, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA20-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-200](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-200) (registry code 17021, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: C0016
- Year built: 1998
- Airframe hours: 6450
- Engines: Continental Aerospace Technologies IO-240B 125 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 12, 2023, 34 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: GWW, Wayne Exec Jetport, runway 23, 5,501 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 12 total, 12 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Icing: Unknown
- Observed at: GWW
- METAR: KGWW 062255Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 11/02 A3015 RMK AO2 T01100024

## 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 20230206001179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230206001179A), Feb 6, 2023: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA20-C1, Goldsboro, NC, Substantial damage. Wind was 3-4 knots for the solo flight. The student performed 5 patterns and landings solo. After the fifth pattern and landing on rollout the aircraft yawed…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 15, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106732. 7.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1, student pilot (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15112190&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_6%20Feb%202023%20Student%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1, flight instructor (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15111862&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1_6%20Feb%202023%20Instructor%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15112200&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA23LA125-Rel.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.

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