Diamond DA 20 C1 N248ME

Summary

On 27 April 2015 at about 20:25 local time, a Diamond DA 20 C1 registered N248ME, operated by Falcon Aviation Academy, was involved in an accident near Sylacauga, Alabama, 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

27 April 2015 at 20:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Sylacauga, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Merkel Field Sylacauga Muni (SCD)

Coordinates

33.1756, -86.2922

Aircraft

Diamond DA 20 C1

Registration

N248ME

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

Falcon Aviation Academy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sylacauga → Newnan

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15LA200

Nobody was injured.

A partial loss of engine power due to the failure of the throttle body/fuel metering unit to provide the engine with adequate fuel pressure for full power operation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the return leg of a student pilot's solo cross-country flight, the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power after reaching an altitude of about 300 ft above ground level. After checking the mixture, fuel pump, and throttle, the student pilot consulted via radio with his flight instructor, who told him to return to the airport. The student pilot attempted to execute an emergency landing at the airport but was too high at the mid-field point of the runway during final approach. He applied full throttle and attempted to go around but received a stall warning and performed a forced landing past the runway in a grassy area, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident test runs of the engine revealed that the throttle body/fuel metering unit failed to provide adequate fuel pressure to allow the engine to operate at full power. Detailed examination of the throttle body/fuel metering unit was unable to determine why the unit was unable to provide adequate fuel pressure to the engine. Although evidence of nicks, burs, and raised areas along the shaft and aggressive cleaning were found, the extent to which they may have contributed to the unit's inability to provide adequate fuel pressure to the engine could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.