- Date
- October 27, 2018, 14:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Marana, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N537MADiamond DA 40
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 98557
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 excessive taxi speed during a turn from the runway to a taxiway, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a taxiway sign.
Findings · 5
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, while en route to the nontowered airport, she obtained local weather and reported on the common traffic advisory frequency that she would be entering the downwind for runway 30. Another pilot in the traffic pattern reported that they were using runway 12, so the student turned the airplane 180° to enter the downwind for runway 12. She added that, during the landing roll, she applied brakes and attempted to turn right off the runway, but the "speed was still high." She realized that she would not be able to make the turn, so she attempted to turn left back onto the runway. Subsequently, the airplane skidded off the runway to the right and impacted a taxiway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The deputy safety officer of the flight school 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 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 350° at 4 knots. The student landed the airplane on runway 12.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, while en route to the non-towered airport, she obtained local weather and reported on the common traffic advisory frequency that she would be entering the downwind for runway 30. Another pilot in the traffic pattern reported that they were using runway 12, so the student performed a 180° turn to enter the downwind for runway 12. She added that during the landing roll, she applied brakes and attempted to turn right off the runway, but her "speed was still high." She realized she would not be able to make the turn, so she attempted to turn left back onto the runway. The airplane skidded off the runway to the right and impacted a taxiway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The deputy safety officer of the flight school 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 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 350° at 4 knots. The student pilot landed the airplane on runway 12.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N537MA
- Reported as
- Diamond DA 40 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 40.463
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 5,905.9
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-M1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- CAE Oxford Aviation Academy, doing business as CAE Oxford Aviation Academy
- Registered owner
- K2 Aviation Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · October 9, 2018
- Departed
- FFZ · Mesa, AZ
- Destination
- AVQ · Marana, AZ
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- AVQ · Marana Rgnl, runway 12, 6,901 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display
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 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 87 total · 87 in this make and model · 8 as pilot in command · 47 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KMZJ, 8 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 28, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.6 MB in all.