Diamond DA 40 N965DS

Summary

On 13 October 2017 at about 15:57 local time, a Diamond DA 40 registered N965DS, operated by CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Phoenix Inc, was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona, United States. 2 people were 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

13 October 2017 at 15:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Mesa, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (IWA)

Coordinates

33.3078, -111.6556

Aircraft

Diamond DA 40

Registration

N965DS

Category

Airplane

Year built

2009

Engines

1

Operator

CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Phoenix Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mesa → Mesa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18LA062

Nobody was injured.

A coyote strike and the subsequent operation of the airplane, which led to internal composite wing structure damage.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A student pilot was conducting a solo flight when the right main landing gear struck a coyote during the landing flare. The pilot contacted flight school management to inform them of the event. A  visual examination that the pilot conducted did not reveal any damage, and she was instructed to fly the airplane back to the home airport. Upon landing, a flight school mechanic examined the airplane and reported seeing hair on the landing gear; the airplane remained in service. The next morning, the airplane was dispatched for a local employment evaluation flight. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction completed a preflight inspection, and no anomalies were observed. The employment evaluation flight departed and consisted of instrument approaches and touch-and-go landings. After the final landing, the pilots heard an abnormal noise coming from the right main landing gear area. Postaccident examination revealed that the internal composite wing structure where the landing gear attaches was fractured. Based on the available information, the damage to the wing structure was likely a result of the wildlife strike, which damaged the landing gear mount, and the subsequent operation of the airplane, which likely aggravated the damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.