Diamond DA40 accident near Norfolk, Virginia, September 15, 2019
On September 15, 2019 at about 8:50 pm local time, a 2018 Diamond DA40, registered N292RA, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Norfolk, Virginia (Chesapeake Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to the mechanic's failure to properly tighten the two clamps securing the flexible coupling from the intercooler to the induction inlet.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2019 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Norfolk, Virginia · Chesapeake Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond DA40, built 2018
- Registration
- N292RA · no longer on the register · serial 40.NC033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that, shortly after takeoff, he heard a noise from under the engine cowling followed by a partial loss of engine power. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and made a forced landing to a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Data downloaded from the airplane's electronic engine control unit was consistent with an uncommanded decrease in induction air boost pressure on takeoff. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the flexible induction coupling between the intercooler and the engine induction inlet had backed off. The two clamps that secured the flexible coupling to the induction inlet were intact and safety wired. However, the two clamps were loose, and the induction tube could be inserted into the coupling without loosening the clamps. A review of maintenance records revealed that the flexible induction coupling and clamps had been removed and replaced at the last 100-hour inspection about 15 flight hours before the accident. Because the two clamps that secured the coupling from the intercooler to the induction inlet were recently replaced, it is likely that the mechanic who installed the clamps did not properly tighten them, and they loosened in flight, leading to the induction inlet backing off and resulting in a loss of engine power.
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 engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,881 hours in all; 133 in this make and model; 66.1 in the last 90 days; 20.2 in the last 30 days; 1,840 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 27, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 123 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 21, 2019; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,860 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Austro Engines E4-A (piston); 123 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPK Norfolk VA at 8:20 pm
- Destination: CPK Norfolk VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from CPK, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 22, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Summary of Conversation - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Electronic Engine Control Unit - Plot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.