Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA20-C1 accident near Longmont, Colorado, June 1, 2014
On June 1, 2014 at about 3:15 pm local time, a 1998 Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA20-C1, registered N206ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Longmont, Colorado (Vance Brand airport). It was a personal 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
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2014 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Longmont, Colorado · Vance Brand · 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 DA20-C1, built 1998
- Registration
- N206ND · no longer on the register · serial C0020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the engine lost all power after the airplane took off and climbed to about 400 feet. He then made a forced landing to a field adjacent to the airport. The airplane struck the ground nose first and skidded about 150 feet before coming to a stop; the nose gear was sheared off. During a postaccident examination of the airplane, only a few drops of fuel were recovered from the wing and gascolator fuel drains; no fuel could be seen in either tank. The pilot noted that fuel had been leaking from the tanks for three days before the examination. However, even if minimal fuel had been present during the accident flight, more than a few drops should have drained out of the gascolator drain. Had the pilot done a thorough preflight inspection, he should have noted the lack of fuel in the tanks.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Aircraft servicing event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 700 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 1, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,764 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-240-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kosair INC
The flight
- Departed from: KLMO Longmont CO at 3:00 pm
- Destination: KLMO Longmont CO
- Runway 29, 4,799 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 3:14 pm from KLMO
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.
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.