Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40 accident near West Chester, Pennsylvania, June 13, 2009
On June 13, 2009 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40, registered N659PS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near West Chester, Pennsylvania (Brandywine 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 student pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2009 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Chester, Pennsylvania · Brandywine · 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 40
- Registration
- N659PS · no longer on the register · serial 40.659
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor and his student remained in the airport traffic pattern to practice several full-stop landings. While on approach the student flared high and the airplane dropped 8 to 10 feet, contacting the 3,375-foot-long by 50-foot-wide runway and then bouncing back into the air. While the pilot initiated a go-around, the airplane drifted left of the runway and the airplane's left wing impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing spar and came to rest on the edge of the runway. Neither the flight instructor nor the student reported any mechanical failures or malfunctions of 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 6,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 26, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 19 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 89 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,646 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-MIA+ (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OQN West Chester PA at 12:25 pm
- Destination: OQN West Chester PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,347 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 12:20 pm from KMQS, 13 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.
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.