Diamond DA20 accident near Chesapeake, Virginia, March 27, 2010
On March 27, 2010 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Diamond DA20, registered N552MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Chesapeake, Virginia (Chesapeake Regional 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 improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 2010 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chesapeake, Virginia · Chesapeake Regional · 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
- N552MA · registry record · serial C0248
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the accident flight was his second flight in the airplane. While landing on runway 5, the airplane "touched down and then ballooned up." The pilot applied full power to execute a go-around, but the airplane "sank" and contacted the ground. The airplane's nose landing gear collapsed and the engine firewall sustained substantial damage. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane after the accident reported no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
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)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 97 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 18, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,693 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 2010
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-240-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPK Chesapeake VA at 7:55 pm
- Destination: CPK Chesapeake VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 8:40 pm from CPK
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.