- Date
- June 16, 2018, 10:22 local (17:22 UTC)
- Place
- Spanish Fork, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N992CTDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 20
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180616008039A
- Case key
- 97517
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 adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 3
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 flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction reported that the pilot performed a soft-field takeoff, and once in ground effect, he reduced back pressure, and the instructor heard the stall warning horn and observed a low airspeed. The instructor told the pilot to reduce the pitch, the pilot lowered the nose a little, but the airplane continued to climb. The instructor told the pilot to reduce pitch again, but the pilot stated he was concerned about a possible propeller strike. The flight instructor took the flight controls, but the airplane had turned to the right, and he experienced a "loss of control." The airplane landed off the right side of the runway, the instructor reduced power, the left main landing gear separated, and the airplane came to rest. The flight instructor and pilot reported that the airplane had aerodynamically stalled. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor and pilot both reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction reported that, the pilot performed a soft field takeoff and once in ground effect, he reduced back pressure and the instructor heard the stall warning horn and observed a low airspeed. The instructor told the pilot to reduce the pitch, the pilot lowered the nose a little, but the airplane continued to climb. The instructor told the pilot to reduce pitch again, but the pilot reported he was concerned about a possible propeller strike. The flight instructor took the flight controls, but the airplane had turned to the right and he experienced a "loss of control". The airplane landed off the right side of the runway, the instructor reduced power, the left main landing gear separated, and the airplane came to rest. The instructor and student reported that the airplane had aerodynamically stalled. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction both reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N992CT
- Reported as
- Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 20 (C1)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- C0092
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 5,774.3
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- 992ct Aircraft Leasing LLC
- Registered owner
- 992ct Aircraft Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 6, 2018
- Departed
- SPK · Spanish Fork, UT
- Destination
- PVU · Provo, UT
- Airport
- SPK · Spanish Fork Arpt Springville-, runway 30, 6,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, ADS-B
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
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 30, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 650 total · 350 in this make and model · 540 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 181.6 total · 129.6 in this make and model · 92.3 as pilot in command · 103.9 in the last 90 days · 55.4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- KPVU, 5 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 11, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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.
Other investigations on N992CT · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.