GAA19CA490

NTSB accident investigation · Diamond DA20 · Pueblo, CO · August 7, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 7, 2019, 08:10 local (14:10 UTC)
Place
Pueblo, CO
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N979DADiamond DA20
Defining event
Approach: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 13, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190807013469A
Case key
100036

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 during an attempted aborted landing, which resulted in a runway excursion onto rough terrain.

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotDiamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1: 37 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: heading/courseAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedDiamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1: 2 casesAll aircraft: 82 casesProbable cause
Terrain: rough terrainEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationDiamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1: 4 casesAll aircraft: 442 casesProbable cause

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, after being endorsed for his first solo flight, he conducted three approaches and landings. During the third approach, the airplane's nose yawed right, and he applied left rudder to correct but was unsuccessful. When the airplane was about 15 ft above ground level, the student aborted the landing and applied full engine power, but the airplane continued to descend while yawing right. The airplane landed on the runway with the nose oriented right of the runway heading, exited the runway, encountered rough terrain, and then stopped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail and empennage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that, after being endorsed for his first solo flight, he made three approaches and three landings. During the third approach, the nose of the airplane yawed to the right, and he applied left rudder to correct the right yaw but was unsuccessful. About 15ft AGL, the pilot aborted the landing and applied full engine power but, "The aircraft jerked and continued to descend with right yaw." The airplane landed on the runway with the nose of the airplane oriented to the right of the runway heading. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and stopped after encountering the rough terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail and empennage. The METAR at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 4 knots. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N979DA
Reported as
Diamond DA20 (C1)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
C0486
Built
2008
Airframe hours
6,528.9
Engine
Continental IO-240-B, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Doss Aviation Inc
Registered owner
Doss Aviation Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility
Last inspection
100 hour · July 2, 2019
Departed
PUB · Pueblo, CO
Destination
PUB · Pueblo, CO
Airport
PUB · Pueblo Memorial, runway 08L, 4,690 × 75 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Stall warning system, 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

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
33
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Right
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
18.3 total · 17.7 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
73 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter
30.04 inHg
Observed at
KPUB

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.