Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA20-C1 accident near Fort Carson, Colorado, January 29, 2014
On January 29, 2014 at about 9:32 pm local time, a 2007 Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA20-C1, registered N959DA, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Fort Carson, Colorado (Butts Army Airfield). It was a public-use flight (federal) under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's loss of control after takeoff following a wake turbulence encounter from a preceding helicopter. Contributing to the accident were the flight instructor's misidentification of the helicopter type and a lack of Federal Aviation Administration wake turbulence separation criteria for a small airplane following a helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2014 · about 9:32 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Carson, Colorado · Butts Army Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA20-C1, built 2007
- Registration
- N959DA · registry record · serial C0469
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This report was modified on 1/22/2015. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.** According to air traffic control (ATC) audio recordings, a tower controller cleared an airplane for takeoff about 23 seconds after a UH-60 helicopter was cleared for takeoff from a midfield location. The tower controller ensured that a runway separation standard of 3,000 feet was present and did not give a wake turbulence advisory. The flight instructor reported that she was aware of the helicopter's takeoff and that she perceived adequate separation from the helicopter. The flight instructor incorrectly identified the helicopter as a Bell UH-1, which weighs less than the UH-60. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane encountered the wake vortex of the helicopter and entered a steep left bank. The flight instructor attempted to counteract the left roll with full right aileron inputs, but she was unable to maintain control. The airplane impacted terrain near midfield and came to rest inverted. A review of ATC audio recordings and airplane performance data revealed that the airplane trailed the helicopter by about 48 to 63 seconds at the midfield location and was about 150 to 200 feet above ground level when it encountered the helicopter's wake vortex. Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ATC guidance does not require specific wake turbulence separation criteria for a small airplane following a helicopter nor does it require a controller to give a wake turbulence advisory for a small airplane following a helicopter. Current FAA pilot guidance, including the Airman's Information Manual and an advisory circular on aircraft wake turbulence, also do not recommend separation criteria for a small airplane following a helicopter.
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 control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Wake turbulence › Decision related to condition
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › FAA/Regulator
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 17,047 hours in all; 842 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 8,421 as pilot in command; 1,805 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 18, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 29 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,597 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2013; 28 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO240B3B (piston); 1,614 hours total
- Operator: Doss Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: KFCS Fort Carson CO at 9:32 pm
- Destination: KPUB Pueblo CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 13, 4,572 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 17,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 9:58 pm from KFCS, 1 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN14TA126.