Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40 accident near Farmingdale, New York, June 30, 2010
On June 30, 2010 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40, registered N388MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Farmingdale, New York (Republic Airport). It was an instructional 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
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2010 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Farmingdale, New York · Republic Airport · 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 DA 40
- Registration
- N388MA · registry record · serial 40.522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he was conducting a "normal" landing to runway 32. During the landing flare, the airplane "seemed to float," and the airspeed "was getting low." The student pilot applied power, and the airplane contacted the runway and "pulled hard" to the left before exiting the runway into the grass. The airplane impacted a runway sign and traveled approximately 1,000 feet across several taxiways and grass areas before it impacted a parked airplane and came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The student pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies. Winds at the accident airport, recorded 23 minutes after the accident, were from 240 degrees at 11 knots, with gusts to 20 knots, and a Federal Aviation Administration inspector confirmed there were left crosswinds at the time of the accident.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 115 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,774 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,744 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Harbor Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HVN New Haven CT at 4:00 pm
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 6,833 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from FRG
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.
Other NTSB records under N388MA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.