Diamond DA20 N227TJ

Summary

On 7 June 2019 at about 19:45 local time, a Diamond DA20 registered N227TJ, operated by Indiana State University, was involved in an accident near Terre Haute, Indiana, United States. 2 people were 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

7 June 2019 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Terre Haute, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Terre Haute Rgnl (HUF)

Coordinates

39.4458, -87.3172

Aircraft

Diamond DA20

Registration

N227TJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Operator

Indiana State University

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Terre Haute → Terre Haute

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA330

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's failure to maintain the runway heading and to relinquish the flight controls to the flight instructor when told to do so while landing in gusting, crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with runway lighting.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor reported that, while the student pilot was practicing crosswind landings with the instructor shadowing on the flight controls, he emphasized the importance of maintaining crosswind correction and suggested beginning the landing flare closer to the runway. The student flared too early, and the airplane ballooned. The airplane drifted left in a "nose high, low airspeed situation." The instructor called for a go-around and attempted to take control. The student maintained a "very strong grip" on the control stick, and the instructor was unable to make any significant control inputs. The airplane landed and skidded off the left side of the runway and impacted runway lights. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and the fuselage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 8 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 080° at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The student landed the airplane on runway 05.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.