Diamond DA 20-C1 N176MA

Summary

On 5 March 2009 at about 17:43 local time, a Diamond DA 20-C1 registered N176MA, operated by Robert Haddow, was involved in an accident near Morristown, New Jersey, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 March 2009 at 17:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Morristown, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU)

Coordinates

40.8042, -74.4050

Aircraft

Diamond DA 20-C1

Registration

N176MA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert Haddow

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Morristown → Morristown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09CA192

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo student pilot had accumulated a total of 14 flight hours at the time of the accident. For his second solo flight, he received a flight release from his instructor to conduct touch-and-go landings. During the first takeoff on runway 23, the student added full power for the takeoff roll. As the front wheel began to lift off, the airplane drifted off the left side of the 150-foot-wide runway. The left wing struck the runway distance sign marked "5," destroying the sign that was situated approximately 36 feet from the runway edge. The student "had no sensation of a collision," and conducted three touch-and-go landings and a full stop before he terminated the flight. The student told the controller in the air traffic control tower that he experienced a momentary loss of control. Damage to the wing was discovered when the student returned the airplane to the flight school. The leading edge of the left wing was damaged from the landing light inboard for approximately 3 feet. The inboard end of the damaged area exhibited splintering and separation of composite finish, binder, and cloth layers. The underside of the wing had an approximately 6-inch hole that also exhibited splintered layers of composite finish, binder, and cloth material. The manager of the flight school reported that there were no airplane malfunctions or mechanical failures either before or after the collision. The student indicated that the airport Automated Terminal Information Service reported winds to be from 210 degrees at 9 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.