- Date
- July 17, 2018, 19:25 local (Jul 18, 2018, 02:25 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N309EFDiamond DA20
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180717014529A
- Case key
- 98016
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 failure to maintain directional control during landing in a left quartering headwind, which resulted in a ground loop.
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 student pilot reported that, during landing, shortly after touchdown, a "crosswind…lifted the left wing," and the airplane "fishtailed." He said he and the instructor corrected by applying right aileron, but the airplane ground looped, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower right section of the fuselage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 30 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 130° at 8 knots and that, about 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 100º at 9 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 16R.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that, during landing, shortly after touchdown, a "crosswind lifted the left wing" and the airplane veered left. He corrected with opposite aileron, but the airplane ground looped to the left and the right landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower right section of the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 30 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 130° at 8 knots and about 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 100º at 9 knots. The airplane landed on runway 16R.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N309EF
- Reported as
- Diamond DA20 (C1)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- C0262
- Built
- 2004
- Engine
- Continental IO-240 SER, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Amval Llc
- Registered owner
- Amval Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Destination
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys, runway 16R, 8,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Seat
- Right
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 21 total · 13 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KVNY
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 11, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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 N309EF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.