- Date
- September 2, 2017, 09:44 local (16:44 UTC)
- Place
- Goodyear, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N910XDDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 NG
- Defining event
- Landing: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 27, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 95932
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 student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Findings · 4
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.
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 solo student pilot reported that, during approach, he felt a "slight sink." He added that the main landing gears touched down, and the airplane began to porpoise. The student pilot added power to initiate a go-around, but the airplane veered left. The porpoising continued, so the pilot reduced the power to idle and attempted to use brakes to steer. The airplane exited the runway to the left and impacted a taxiway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during approach, he felt a "slight sink". He added that the main landing gears touched down and the airplane began to porpoise. The student pilot added power to initiate a go-around, but the airplane veered left. The porpoising continued, so the pilot reduced power to idle and attempted to use brakes to steer. The airplane exited the runway to the left and impacted a taxiway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N910XD
- Reported as
- Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 NG (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 40.N303
- Built
- 2015
- Airframe hours
- 1,133.9
- Engine
- Austro E4-A, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- L3 Ctc Aviation Training
- Registered owner
- Ctc Aviation Leasing (US) Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · August 23, 2017
- Departed
- GYR · Goodyear, AZ
- Destination
- GYR · Goodyear, AZ
- Airport
- GYR · Phoenix Goodyear, runway 21, 8,500 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 16.3 total · 16.3 in this make and model · 1.7 as pilot in command · 16.3 in the last 90 days · 13.6 in the last 30 days · 1.8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KGYR, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 MB in all.