Diamond Aicraft DA 20-C1 N322FS

Summary

On 27 June 2013 at about 03:00 local time, a Diamond Aicraft DA 20-C1 registered N322FS, operated by Flight Source Aviation, was involved in an accident near Odessa, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 June 2013 at 03:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Odessa, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airpor (ODO)

Coordinates

31.9214, -102.3872

Aircraft

Diamond Aicraft DA 20-C1

Registration

N322FS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Flight Source Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gerogetown → Odessa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN13LA380

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's use of an improper flap setting and a subsequent inadequate flare of the airplane, which resulted in a bounced landing, and the pilot's delay in executing a go-around.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the 4-mile final leg for landing in night visual meteorological conditions, the pilot set the flaps at 15 degrees for the approach and landing. According to the manufacturer's flight information manual, the flap position for landing is 45 degrees. The pilot stated that she kept the airplane speed "up" so that the airplane would not lose too much altitude and that, although the approach was a "little low," it was still within limits. The airplane touched down on the runway and bounced three times before the pilot increased engine power to perform a go-around. As the engine power increased, the airplane nosed down and contacted the runway, damaging the nosewheel and firewall. The pilot's use of partial flaps at a low altitude with a high approach speed resulted in more energy than a typical landing approach and the pilot was unable to arrest the descent rate before impact. Although high wind conditions and gusts prevailed at the time of the accident, the wind was within the manufacturer's maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity for the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.