Diamond DA42 N311ER

Summary

On 1 April 2020 at about 13:00 local time, a Diamond DA42 registered N311ER, operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Inc, was involved in an accident near Palm Coast, Florida, 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

1 April 2020 at 13:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Palm Coast, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Flagler Executive (FIN)

Coordinates

29.4653, -81.2078

Aircraft

Diamond DA42

Registration

N311ER

Category

Airplane

Year built

2016

Engines

2

Operator

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Daytona Beach → Palm Coast

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20CA143

Nobody was injured.

The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain airplane control during a simulated engine failure landing and subsequent attempted go-around in gusting crosswind conditions and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor reported that the pilot receiving instruction was practicing a simulated single-engine failure to a landing in the multiengine airplane. The left engine was set to about 12% power, simulating a feathered propeller engine failure. While on final approach to land, the airplane started to drift right of the runway, and the pilot receiving instruction reported that he was having difficulty controlling the airplane due to strong prevailing winds. The instructor reported that he told the pilot receiving instruction to use more left rudder, but the airplane continued to drift right. The pilot receiving instruction decided to abort the landing and initiated a go-around by advancing both engines to full power. During the go-around, the airplane drifted left and then the instructor took the flight controls and applied full right rudder. The airplane continued drifting left, descended, and impacted vegetation, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and empennage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A crosswind component of between 6 and 10 knots existed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.