Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 42 accident near New Smyrna, Florida, March 12, 2012
On March 12, 2012 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 42, registered N915ER, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near New Smyrna, Florida. 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
An inadvertent encounter with a bird during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2012 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Smyrna, Florida · 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 42
- Registration
- N915ER · no longer on the register · serial 42.AC150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and the student pilot were in cruise flight at 1,600 feet above the ground, preparing to land after an instructional flight, when they noticed three buzzards that were ahead, below, and to the right of their airplane and climbing. The pilots entered a climbing left turn and successfully avoided two of the birds; however, the remaining bird suddenly changed direction and impacted the right wing, resulting in substantial damage to its composite structure. After advising air traffic controllers of the encounter, the pilots landed the airplane uneventfully at a nearby airport.
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
- Birdstrike during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 126 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 2,850 as pilot in command; 2,860 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 21, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 161 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,352 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,957 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-MIA+ (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360-MIA+ (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
The flight
- Departed from: EVB New Smyrna FL at 10:20 pm
- Destination: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from DAB, 14 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.
Other NTSB records under N915ER 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.