# NTSB ERA23LA177: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG, N306ER, Leesburg, FL, March 31, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 31, 2023, 16:49 local (20:49 UTC) - Place: Leesburg, FL - Coordinates: 28.822304, -81.807596 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8223&lon=-81.8076&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: 2 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): 106995 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA177 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106995/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106995 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA177 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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 42 NG, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2990105), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [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 DA 42 NG, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2990105), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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 42 NG, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2990105), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2990105), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2990105), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis While on approach for a short field landing, the flight instructor reported that the pilot undergoing instruction added power to arrest an excessive rate of descent at his instruction but removed it when the flight descended below 100 ft. The airplane began to descend rapidly and during the flare touched down first on the nose landing gear. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and added power to abort the landing, but he reported the nose dropped and the airplane began to, “…porpoise down the runway while the stall warning was sounding.” He attempted to keep the nose level but the airplane bounced about 5 or 6 times before coming to rest at the edge of the runway near the midpoint. The pilot reported that the approach was, “…a bit steep and fast due to gusty conditions.” He also reported the canopy became unlatched during the porpoising, and he held it down to prevent getting hit by debris kicked up by the propeller. A review of pictures of the airplane revealed it came to rest with the right main landing gear partially collapsed. The top center portion of the fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident. The pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N306ER](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N306ER), registered now, S/N 42.N206, built 2016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND GMBH DA 42 NG - Registry model: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 42 NG](https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da-42-ng) (registry code 2990105) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Austro E4 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/austro-e4-series) (registry code 06400, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 42.N206 - Year built: 2016 - Airframe hours: 3880 - Engines: Austro E4C 168 horsepower reciprocating; Austro E4C 168 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: Annual, March 8, 2023, 80 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: LEE, Leesburg International Airport, runway 13, 6,300 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 26; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 8, 2021; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,322 total, 273 in this make and model, 1,218 as pilot in command, 278 in the last 90 days, 82 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 21; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 19, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 240 total, 14 in this make and model, 106 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: KLEE - METAR: KLEE 312053Z 15010KT 10SM CLR 29/14 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP214 T02890144 56022 ## 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 20230331005089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230331005089A), Mar 31, 2023: Diamond Aircraft Ind Gmbh DA 42 NG, Leesburg, FL, Substantial damage. Instructor/pic: my student and I were on an instructional flight at Leesburg, FL airport (klee) on Friday March 31, 2023 at 1648 local time on N306ER, and were… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106995. 13.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 11.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15742456&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_1(completed)_Recd%204%2013%202023_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15744159&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 454 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15744966&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fully%20Executed%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form_Redacted-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. --- 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.