Diamond DA20 N309EF

Summary

On 18 July 2018 at about 02:25 local time, a Diamond DA20 registered N309EF, operated by Amval Llc, was involved in an accident near Van Nuys, California, 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

18 July 2018 at 02:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Van Nuys, California, United States

Nearest airport

Van Nuys (VNY)

Coordinates

34.2097, -118.4900

Aircraft

Diamond DA20

Registration

N309EF

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

Amval Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Van Nuys → Van Nuys

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

GAA18CA474

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in a left quartering headwind, which resulted in a ground loop.  

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that, during landing, shortly after touchdown, a "crosswind…lifted the left wing," and the airplane "fishtailed." He said he and the instructor corrected by applying right aileron, but the airplane ground looped, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower right section of the fuselage. The student 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 30 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 130° at 8 knots and that, about 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 100º at 9 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 16R.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.