Diamond DA40 N127X

Summary

On 16 April 2005 at about 20:10 local time, a Diamond DA40 registered N127X, operated by AV-ED Flight School Inc., was involved in an accident near Leesburg, Virginia, 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

16 April 2005 at 20:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Leesburg, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO)

Coordinates

39.0742, -77.5572

Aircraft

Diamond DA40

Registration

N127X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

AV-ED Flight School Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Leesburg → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD05CA056

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilots lack of experience, and the uphill terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident took place during a solo flight, the student pilot was attempting to perform a landing on runway 35. During the "roundout," and prior to the flare, the airplane began to drift to the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted to correct, but was unable to maintain his position over the runway centerline. The airplane continued to drift over the grassy area on the west side of the runway, approaching the trees that bordered the airport. He then thought that because he did not have complete control of the airplane, it was time to end the flight by landing on the grassy area. The airplane impacted in up sloping terrain and was substantially damaged. Examination of the airplane's mechanical and flight control systems was conducted and control continuity was verified. No pre-accident malfunctions were discovered. At the time of the accident the pilot had accumulated approximately 38.7 total hours of flight experience, all of which were in the accident airplane make and model.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.