Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20 accident near Cleveland, Ohio, March 6, 2014
On March 6, 2014 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2000 Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20, registered N108WA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Cleveland, Ohio (Burke Lakefront Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare and recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2014 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Ohio · Burke Lakefront Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20, built 2000
- Registration
- N108WA · no longer on the register · serial C0098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that he was attempting to make a full stop landing. He attempted to land twice before, but bounced both landing attempts, and ultimately executed go-arounds each time. He reported that during the third attempted landing, he bounced the landing and attempted another go-around, but "could not recover." The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and impacted a distance marker, a stop sign, and a pile of rocks, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) 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 › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 12.1 hours in all; 7.3 in this make and model; 6.1 in the last 90 days; 1.7 in the last 30 days; 0.4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,103 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 20, 2014; 13.8 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-240 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKL Cleveland OH at 9:00 pm
- Destination: BKL Cleveland OH
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 6L, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 11:07 pm from BKL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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 N108WA 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.