Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20-C1 accident near San Antonio, Texas, May 10, 2009
On May 10, 2009 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20-C1, registered N169PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Antonio, Texas (Stinson Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The instructor pilot’s improper landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2009 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · Stinson Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20-C1
- Registration
- N169PA · registry record · serial C0270
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a crosswind landing demonstration to a student pilot, the instructor pilot initiated a landing flare. When the airplane's altitude rose, the instructor pilot, "held the flare and added approximately 50-100 rpm to ease the airplane" down to the runway. The airplane then "experienced a sudden descent," and the instructor pilot attempted a go-around; however, the airplane's left wing and nose impacted the runway, causing substantial damage to the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 475 hours in all; 22 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 17, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,256 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-240 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flying Monsters INC
The flight
- Departed from: KSSF San Antonio TX
- Destination: KSSF San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,128 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N169PA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.