- Date
- June 7, 2019, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Terre Haute, IN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N227TJDiamond DA20
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190607006089A
- Case key
- 99598
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 the runway heading and to relinquish the flight controls to the flight instructor when told to do so while landing in gusting, crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with runway lighting.
Findings · 6
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 reported that, while the student pilot was practicing crosswind landings with the instructor shadowing on the flight controls, he emphasized the importance of maintaining crosswind correction and suggested beginning the landing flare closer to the runway. The student flared too early, and the airplane ballooned. The airplane drifted left in a "nose high, low airspeed situation." The instructor called for a go-around and attempted to take control. The student maintained a "very strong grip" on the control stick, and the instructor was unable to make any significant control inputs. The airplane landed and skidded off the left side of the runway and impacted runway lights. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and the fuselage. The instructor 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 8 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 080° at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The student landed the airplane on runway 05.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, while the student pilot was practicing crosswind landings with the instructor shadowing on the flight controls, he emphasized the importance of maintaining crosswind correction and suggested beginning the landing flare closer to the runway. The student flared too early and ballooned. The airplane drifted left in a "nose high, low airspeed situation." The instructor called for a go around and attempted to take control. The student maintained a "very strong grip" on the control stick, and the instructor was unable to make any significant control inputs. The airplane landed and skid off the left side of the runway and impacted runway lights. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The flight instructor 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 8 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 080° at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The student pilot landed the airplane on runway 05.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N227TJ
- Reported as
- Diamond DA20 (C1)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- C0324
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 2,814.6
- Engine
- Continental IO-240, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Indiana State University
- Registered owner
- Indiana State University
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 2019
- Departed
- HUF · Terre Haute, IN
- Destination
- HUF · Terre Haute, IN
- Airport
- HUF · Terre Haute Rgnl, runway 05, 9,020 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 16, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 440 total · 150 in this make and model · 350 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 35 total · 35 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- HUF, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.5 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.