Diamond DA 20-C1 N877CT

Summary

On 20 May 2011 at about 21:45 local time, a Diamond DA 20-C1 registered N877CT was involved in an accident near Wurtsboro, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 May 2011 at 21:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Wurtsboro, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Wurtsboro-Sullivan County (N82)

Coordinates

41.5969, -74.4583

Aircraft

Diamond DA 20-C1

Registration

N877CT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wurtsboro → Wurtsboro

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11LA306

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot’s performance of aerobatic maneuvers at low altitude and his failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the airplane takeoff and begin performing maneuvers similar to aerobatics at low altitude over the runway. The airplane descended in a forward slip until it was about 30 feet above the runway, accelerated, and pulled up to an estimated 70 degree nose-up attitude. The airplane leveled out and performed a “swoop down” maneuver, followed by a right turn toward an empty parking lot. It then entered a nose dive over the parking lot and impacted the ground. The pilot reported that the engine lost power, and he was making a forced landing in the parking lot. However, none of the witnesses reported hearing engine problems, and one witness specifically stated that he did not “hear any mechanical problems with the airplane.” Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any abnormality that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane’s flight controls. Examination of the engine revealed evidence that, at some time, water had contaminated the fuel system. No other abnormalities were noted during examination of the engine. The pilot reported that he had drained some water from the airplane’s fuel system during the preflight inspection and that he had continued to drain fuel until no water was detected. Based on the pilot’s report that he had drained all water from the fuel system, the finding of no discrepancies (other than the evidence of water contamination) with the engine, and the lack of witness reports of engine problems, it is likely that the engine was operating throughout the aerobatic maneuvers.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.