Diamond DA 20-C1 N894CT

Summary

On 23 February 2010 at about 22:45 local time, a Diamond DA 20-C1 registered N894CT, operated by Utah Valley University, was involved in an accident near Delta, Utah, 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

23 February 2010 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Delta, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Delta Municipal (KDTA)

Coordinates

39.2899, -112.5592

Aircraft

Diamond DA 20-C1

Registration

N894CT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Utah Valley University

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Provo → Delta

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10CA146

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's incorrect use of the flaps and failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed during the attempted go-around procedure, which led to a stall/mush condition. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's lack of familiarity with the destination airport, and his delayed decision to execute the go-around.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was on his first solo cross-county fight, which had as its planned destination an airport that he had never been to prior to that flight. Upon arriving at the unfamiliar airport, he overflew the area in order to get a sight picture of the situation. He then flew a non-standard pattern to the final approach of the runway he chose to land on. Although his approach had not become stabilized by short final, he decided to continue the landing. When the airplane’s main gear contacted the runway, it bounced back into the air, and the pilot decided to execute a go-around. During the go-around, the pilot, who said the engine sounded like it went to full rpm, did not let the airplane stabilize and accelerate before retracting the flaps, and he therefore found that the airplane would not maintain the climb that he tried to establish. As he attempted to continue the go-around, the airplane slowed and its left wing dropped, and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. The airplane then descended into the soft terrain off the left side of the runway, and nosed over onto its back. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings, fuselage, and empennage. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector monitored an engine inspection and test run, which did not reveal any anomalies or issues with the engine, which was able to be run to full power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.