# NTSB ERA23LA312: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40, N524DS, Roanoke, VA, July 21, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 21, 2023, 10:40 local (14:40 UTC) - Place: Roanoke, VA - Coordinates: 37.327507, -79.976343 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3275&lon=-79.9763&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - 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): 192709 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA312 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192709/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192709 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA312 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing, and the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action. ## 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 DA 40, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2990002), [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 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) - [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-aborted after touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2990002), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing crosswind landings in the traffic pattern. On the first landing attempt, the student pilot crabbed into the wind and as the airplane was over the runway, he applied left aileron in order to straighten the airplane over centerline and the flight instructor called to perform a go around maneuver. While in the traffic pattern, the flight instructor explained that using the rudder was normal practice to straighten out the airplane instead of the aileron and to try again on the second landing. During the second landing attempt, the student applied left rudder to straighten out over runway centerline. Before the airplane touched down, he added more left rudder. Again, the flight instructor called to perform a go around maneuver, however, the wheels touched down and the airplane bounced to the left. The student pilot applied full engine power and the airplane veered to the left. The flight instructor took over the flight controls and attempted to correct the turn by applying right rudder, however the airplane continued to drift to the left. The airplane continued off the side of the runway and impacted the ground, resulting in the nose landing gear collapsing and the empennage partially separating from the airplane. The airplane slid and came to rest on a taxiway. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the empennage. After the accident, the flight instructor remarked that the student pilot might have had his foot on the left rudder, which may have been why the instructor's right rudder input was not sufficient. Furthermore, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector asked the student pilot if he released the left rudder when the flight instructor took control of the airplane and he noted that he was unsure, since the accident sequence happened so quickly. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N524DS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N524DS), registered now, S/N 40.260 (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) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 40.260 - Year built: 2003 - Airframe hours: 3813.5 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-M1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 19, 2023, 4 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: ROA, Roanoke-Blacksburg Rgnl/Woodrum Fld, runway 24, 6,800 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 22; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 324 total, 303 in this make and model, 190 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 33; injuries: none; seat: left; restraint: 3-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: ROA, 1 nm away - METAR: KROA 211354Z 25005KT 10SM SCT045 28/20 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP108 T02780200 ## 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 20230721010199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230721010199A), Jul 21, 2023: Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA 40, Roanoke, VA, Substantial damage. The pilot in command stated he was instructing a student on mild crosswind landings on runway 24 at Roanoke airport. The instructor had flown with this student… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192709. 6.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15926356&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=LA312%206120%20for%20Docket_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15926366&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs%20-%20ERA23LA312-Rel.pdf - Pilots statements (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15927086&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statement%20_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - FAA question to student pilot (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15926893&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20FAA%20with%20Student%20Pilot-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.