No fatalities

20 May 2018: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 40 — Marlborough, MA

Marlborough, MA, United States

On 20 May 2018, a DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 40 UNDESIGNAT was involved in an aviation accident near Marlborough, MA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s improper decision to land on a runway that was too short for a safe landing and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control in tailwind conditions. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing on a 1,659 ft runway, the airplane touched down in the first third but decelerated less than expected. After applying maximum braking, the airplane veered right off the runway and struck a fence, causing substantial left wing damage.

Accident Details

The pilot reported that during landing, the airplane touched down within the first third of the 1,659 ft long runway. However, the airplane did not decelerate as usual when brakes were applied. Pumping the brakes resulted in deceleration described as "less than expected." The pilot considered performing a go-around but instead opted for maximum braking. With maximum brake applied, the airplane veered off the runway to the right and impacted a fence.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Report

Following the accident, the pilot inspected the runway and observed solid skid marks from the right tire and broken skid marks from the left tire.

Weather Information

The pilot reported that around the time of the accident, the wind was light and variable, predominantly from 280°. The automated weather observation station located approximately 12 miles east of the accident airport reported that about 19 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 220° at 12 knots. The airplane landed on runway 32.

Performance Data

According to the pilot, the calculated landing roll with full flaps was 930 ft, and the landing distance over a 50 ft obstacle was 2,020 ft.

Manufacturer's Guidance

The manufacturer states: "For a safe landing the landing distance available (LDA) should be at least equal to the landing distance of a 50 ft (15m) obstacle."

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operationSurface speed/braking — Not attained/maintainedContributed to outcome