Diamond DA20 accident near Townsend, Georgia, April 25, 2009
On April 25, 2009 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Diamond DA20, registered N561CS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Townsend, Georgia (Eagle Neck Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a landing roll with a crosswind. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2009 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Townsend, Georgia · Eagle Neck Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond DA20 C1
- Registration
- N561CS · no longer on the register · serial C0002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a tree as the pilot was performing an aborted landing during his second attempt to land on Runway 2. The pilot reported encountering turbulence while en route and on approach. The recorded wind at an airport located 19 nautical miles northwest of the accident airport, about the time of the accident, was from 140 degrees at 8 knots. Runway 2 was 3,475 feet long, 41 feet wide, and was surrounded by trees. Winds at the airport were from the east at approximately 10 knots, as estimated by the pilot, and during the landing roll the airplane veered west of the runway centerline. The pilot applied right rudder; however, he was unable to correct for the drift. He subsequently added power to perform another aborted landing, but the airplane continued to track west and impacted a tree. The airplane received substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and the rear empennage sheared off from the fuselage. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. He reported 169 hours of total flight experience; of which, 3 hours were in the accident 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 169 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 1 in the last 30 days; 140 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 19, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,478 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 16, 2009; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,764 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-240-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Savannah Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 1GA0 Townsend GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 3,475 ft by 41 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from LHW, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.