History of Flight
On December 20, 2008, at about 1521 mountain standard time, a Diamond DA20-C1, registration N4196M, experienced an in-flight loss of control and descended into terrain about half a mile northwest of Alamo Lake State Park, approximately 32 miles north of Wenden, Arizona. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot was killed during the solo instructional flight. The airplane was operated by Sabena Airline Training Center, Inc., of Mesa, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight plan was filed but not opened. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and originated from Falcon Field, Mesa, about 1140.
Earlier that morning, at about 1028, the pilot called the Prescott Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) to file a round-robin flight plan from Falcon Field to Lake Havasu City Airport and return. He indicated a cruise altitude of 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and that he would refuel at Lake Havasu before returning.
The airplane's flight track and altitude were reconstructed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) using data from the Guardian Mobility SkyTrax GPS data logger and FAA radar with Mode C transponder data. During the outbound leg between Falcon Field and Lake Havasu (1208–1314), the airplane flew above its planned altitude, reaching over 12,000 feet between 1224 and 1253 and ultimately climbing to about 14,000 feet.
Approaching Lake Havasu, the pilot descended and landed around 1340. The fuel tank was filled before departing on the return leg at about 1447. En route back, the pilot again climbed above the planned altitude. By 1506, about 20 miles west-northwest of the accident site, the altitude was about 9,400 feet. By 1518:41, the east-southeast-bound airplane had overflown Alamo Lake and was approaching its eastern shore at about 7,400 feet. About five seconds later, it reversed direction and headed back over the lake toward the western shore, arriving by 1519:17 at 6,700 feet. Over the next 24 seconds, the airplane climbed northward to 7,300 feet while remaining over land west of the lake.
The airplane was last recorded on radar at 1519:41 and 1519:53, about 300 feet from the accident site (elevation 1,100 feet msl). In the final 12 seconds, the recorded altitude dropped from about 7,300 to 6,000 feet.
Two fishermen on Alamo Lake reported observing the accident airplane descending and hearing no engine noise. They saw it spinning: one described clockwise turns (360° every half second) and the other counterclockwise turns (360° every two seconds). The first witness noted the nose was pointed 20–30 degrees downward, and the airplane completed at least eight turns. The second witness said the nose was initially level with the horizon, then lowered to at least a 60-degree downward angle before disappearing behind a hill.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 18, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating issued on November 25, 2008, after completing Sabena's FAA-approved Part 141 curriculum. His total flight time was about 94 hours, with 69 hours in the accident model. Pilot-in-command time totaled about 52 hours, with 34 hours in the accident model. All flight time was logged in the 90 days before the accident. He held a first-class medical certificate issued in August 2008 with no limitations.
Aircraft Information
The airplane, manufactured in Canada by Diamond Aircraft Industries in 2007, was a utility category model. It was powered by a Teledyne Continental Motors IO-240-B(17) engine and a Sensenich propeller. Sabena operated and maintained the airplane under an annual and 100-hour inspection program. The last 100-hour inspection occurred on December 13, 2008, at an airframe and engine total time of 1,938 hours (Hobbs meter 2,528 hours). At the start of the accident flight, the Hobbs meter registered 2,539.1 hours; at the crash site, it read 2,542.3 hours, and the engine tachometer read 1,949.3 hours, indicating 3.2 flight hours (about 11 engine hours since the last inspection). Maintenance records showed no outstanding squawks. The pilot who flew the airplane immediately before the accident reported no issues.
The airplane was equipped with a Guardian Mobility SkyTrax GPS data logger and satellite transmitter for monitoring flight progress. The flight manual, which must be carried in the airplane, includes a note in section 2.9 stating that spinning is not approved for aircraft equipped with an altitude compensating fuel system. Sabena's director of maintenance reported that the altitude compensating fuel pump had been removed in early 2008. Section 4.4.16 of the manual provides spin recovery procedures, with the first step being to set the throttle to idle. Section 4.4.17 notes to turn the fuel pump on for all low throttle operations, including spins.
Meteorological Information
During the pilot's weather briefing, he was advised of high pressure, unrestricted visibility, mostly clear skies, and no adverse weather. Surface wind was east at 5–10 knots; at 6,500 feet, wind was from 310° at 10 knots. The two witnesses at the lake reported calm surface wind, clear skies, and temperature about 50°F, with no blowing dust.
Communications
No FAA communications were reported with the airplane after departure from Lake Havasu. The flight plan was not opened.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was at 1,100 feet msl in a dry wash area. The airplane came to rest against a vegetation outcrop near the wash, oriented northward. Some vegetation was taller than the right wing, with no impact damage. No ground scars from landing gear were noted. The airplane was upright, near wings level, with a nose-low attitude. The engine compartment rested in a 6-inch impact crater. The aft fuselage was cracked and broken downward; the tail rested on the ground. The spinner and engine compartment were crushed upward at about 30°. The propeller was wood, not broken from the flange, blade tips present, leading edges abraded. All structural components and flight controls were attached; a portion of the canopy was shattered. Flight control continuity was confirmed to the damaged cockpit. Flaps were fully retracted (cruise position). Throttle, mixture, and fuel controls were continuous. The electric fuel pump switch was found in the ON position (no guard, preimpact position unconfirmed). The ignition switch was found OFF; a first responder reported turning it off. No fuel was in the ruptured fuselage tank, but fuel odor was present in the sand beneath. Fuel was in the main line and fuel bowl; the filter was clean. No fire occurred. After recovery, the engine's crankshaft rotated manually, accessory gears turned, thumb compression was felt in all cylinders, and no preimpact damage was observed. The digital radio transmitter was set to 121.5 MHz.
Medical and Pathological Information
The pilot's father reported his son had excellent physical condition, no drug use, and no history of dizziness or disorientation. An autopsy by the Mohave County Medical Examiner attributed death to multiple blunt force injuries. Forensic toxicology by FAA's CAMI detected no ethanol, carbon monoxide, cyanide, or screened drugs.
Tests and Research
The SkyTrax data logger was recovered and examined by Guardian Mobility Corporation under the supervision of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The device was internally undamaged, and nonvolatile data was extracted and plotted. The engine was test run at Teledyne Continental Motors' facility in Mobile, Alabama; the operational test reported normal operation with no abnormalities that would prevent normal horsepower production.
Organizational and Management Information
Sabena Airline Training Center, Inc., located at Falcon Field in Mesa, is fully owned by Sabena Flight Academy N.V. of Brussels, Belgium. The FAA's Scottsdale Flight Standards District Office approved the training curriculum revision in August 2008. The company employs about 100 persons, including instructors and a quality and safety manager. It operates a fleet of 15 Diamond DA20-C1 airplanes, which had accumulated 37,177 total flight hours (18,400 since January 1, 2008). All students receive a booklet covering school rules, procedures, and curriculum.
Additional Information
The training syllabus states that spins will only be practiced with an instructor on board. The accident student received spin awareness training on more than the minimum occasions, but no deviation was recorded in training records. The student's CFI reported that during spin training on October 7, 2008, the student entered and recovered from a spin with the engine not throttled to idle (contrary to the flight manual). The student could perform a spin by himself at lesson's end. Sabena's chief instructor noted that the extra spin training was not recorded and that the school would emphasize syllabus adherence. The student's private pilot practical test was failed on the first attempt due to landing with a 30-knot tailwind during an emergency landing; after 0.9 hours of additional dual instruction, he passed on November 25, 2008. The accident flight was a solo cross-country (Mission B7/B8) intended to build experience without airwork maneuvers. Climbing to 14,000 feet was not required; Sabena personnel opined it was for personal reasons. Full spin rotations are not part of the approved training syllabus.