History of Flight
On November 17, 2010, at 1306 mountain standard time, a Diamond DA20-C1, registration N978CT, descended vertically in a spin or spiral and impacted terrain in Payson, Utah. The airplane was operated by Utah Valley University (UVU) Aviation Science Department under 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot/certified flight instructor and a student pilot were killed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan had been filed. The instructional flight departed Provo Municipal Airport, Provo, Utah, at 1245.
Witnesses reported hearing and seeing the airplane descend vertically in a spiral or spin, making numerous rotations before hitting a driveway. Sounds consistent with engine operation were heard during the descent. The airplane operated below radar coverage; no radio distress call was received.
The CFI had flown 28 flights with the student since January 27, 2009. The student was preparing for his final private pilot check flight. Maneuvers practiced that flight included stalls, slow flight, and landing pattern. The wreckage was under designated practice area D, which had a floor at 7,000 feet mean sea level and ceiling at 10,000 feet. Terrain elevation was about 4,530 feet.
Personnel Information
The 34-year-old CFI held commercial and flight instructor certificates and a first-class medical certificate. She had 869.8 flight hours, 512.7 of which as dual instruction. In the previous 30 days, she flew 9.2 hours. She had a logbook endorsement for spin training from August 5, 2003, but no subsequent spin entries were recorded. She received a flight review on September 10, 2010, and a night currency flight on October 21, 2010.
The CFI's husband reported her typical routine: full-time job as finance director, night classes, and two children. She slept from about 2230 to 0615. On the accident night, she was in bed at 2245 and up at 0615. Her diet and sleep were normal; she had no complaints of fatigue or stress.
The 25-year-old student held a second-class medical and student pilot certificate. He had 63.7 total flight hours (53.6 dual, 10.1 solo). He flew four flights (4.8 hours) in the previous 90 days, all with the accident CFI. Maneuvers practiced included slow flight and stalls. Training records showed satisfactory performance, but remarks indicated lessons were reviewed for proficiency.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear, single-engine DA20-C1 (serial C0078) was manufactured in 1999. It had a Teledyne Continental IO-240-B engine and fixed-pitch propeller. A 50-hour inspection was performed on November 1, 2010. The airplane flew twice earlier on November 17 for a total of 2.6 hours and was fueled with 11.6 gallons of avgas before the accident flight. Calculated takeoff weight was 1,705 lbs, center of gravity at 10.93 inches aft of datum, both within normal limits.
The flight manual approved spinning with flaps in cruise position. The flight test report stated the DA20-C1 could recover from spins up to 6 turns or 3 seconds without exceeding limits, and an unrecoverable spin was impossible.
The aircraft had a four-point safety belt with a lock cover. Some UVU instructors reported unintentional release; the investigators found it possible to release by grazing the buckle. Diamond Aircraft stated proper adjustment prevented inadvertent opening.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was on a driveway between two houses. The student was in the left seat with harness buckled; the CFI was in the right seat with lap belt and shoulder straps unbuckled. The nose and engine collapsed, fuselage elevated 30 degrees, tail separated. Wings remained attached; canopy glass shattered. Control continuity was established for rudder, elevator, and ailerons. The flap jackscrew measured 0.5-inch extension (between landing and takeoff). Propeller blade separation and engine damage were consistent with impact. Engine components showed normal operation signatures. No pre-impact anomalies were found.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies revealed blunt force injuries of head, torso, and extremities. The medical examiner noted no definitive marks from lap belts or shoulder harnesses. Toxicology for the CFI showed negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol; ibuprofen detected in urine. For the student, all tested substances were negative.
Organizational and Management Information
UVU operated as a Part 61 flight school with about 50 part-time CFIs and 4 full-time chief instructors. The Director of Operations oversaw flight training, dispatch, and maintenance. CFIs were allocated one proficiency flight hour per month, but this policy was not in the manual. Spin training was provided to CFI applicants but not recurrently. The Director of Safety posted monthly safety fliers and held one mandatory safety meeting per semester; no formal mishap tracking was in place.
Additional Information
A student of the accident CFI reported an event two weeks prior: while practicing slow flight, the engine cut out, left wing dropped, and the aircraft entered a one-turn spin. The CFI recovered using full power, right rudder, and opposite aileron; the engine continued to run rough afterward.