Diamond DA 40 NG N853L

Summary

On 6 June 2021 at about 14:20 local time, a Diamond DA 40 NG registered N853L, operated by Lift Training Academy, was involved in an accident near Darlington, Indiana, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 June 2021 at 14:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Darlington, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

40.1142, -86.7542

Aircraft

Diamond DA 40 NG

Registration

N853L

Category

Airplane

Year built

2019

Engines

1

Operator

Lift Training Academy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Indianapolis → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21FA252

2 people died.

A loss of control while practicing an aerodynamic stall, which resulted in a spin and impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting a training flight. automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) and onboard data revealed heading, engine power, and altitude changes consistent with maneuvering. Just before the accident, the airplane entered a power-off stall from an altitude of about 4,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The right wing dropped, the pitch attitude decreased, and the airplane entered a descent consistent with a spin. Ground scars and the orientation of the wreckage were consistent with an impact with terrain in a slight right-wing-low, nose-down attitude. The wreckage was highly fragmented with scattered debris that extended for about 75 yards. There were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Review of engine data indicated nominal engine performance before the accident. The airplane was not approved for spin maneuvers; however, the airplane’s flight manual provided a recovery procedure in the event of an unintentional spin. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with an inadvertent spin and loss of control while practicing an aerodynamic stall. Because the airplane was not approved for intentional spins, it is unlikely that the flight instructor had ever experienced a spin in the accident airplane make/model and was therefore likely unfamiliar with its spin and recovery characteristics.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.