Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40 NG accident near Lake Katrine, New York, February 6, 2023
On February 6, 2023 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 2020 Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40 NG, registered N871LA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Lake Katrine, New York (Kingston-Ulster 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 pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate pitch attitude and descent rate during landing, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 2023 · about 9:30 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Lake Katrine, New York · Kingston-Ulster · cases near this airport · 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 NG, built 2020
- Registration
- N871LA · registry record · serial 40.NC107
- 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 pilot receiving instruction were practicing short field landings. After an initial unsuccessful approach, the pilot conducted a go-around and set up for another landing approach. The flight instructor described that after passing over obstacles while on short final approach to the runway, the flight instructor told the pilot to reduce engine power to idle so that they would not overshoot the touchdown point again. The pilot complied, and as they descend the pilot continued to increase the airplane’s pitch attitude as if engine power had not been reduced. The flight instructor noted this, directed the pilot to decrease the airplane’s pitch, and then “nudged” the control stick forward to reduce the airplane’s angle of attack. As the flight instructor released his forward pressure on the control stick, the airplane’s pitch again increased along with its descent rate, as the pilot continued to pull back on the control stick. The airplane subsequently touched down “hard” on the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The operator reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, nor did the pilot or flight instructor report any.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 640 hours in all; 416 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 560 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 20, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300.5 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 4.9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 117.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 19, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,715 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 21, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,883 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Austro E4-A (piston); 1,715 hours total
- Operator: Take Flight Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MGJ Montegomery NY at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,100 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from POU, 22 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPOU 062153Z 02010KT 10SM OVC039 04/M01 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP190 T00441011
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of Accident Airplane from Front Right – Note Cowling and Propellor Removed
Photo 2 – Closeup View of Right Wing Underside Damage – Note Composite Materials
Photo 3 – View of Right Wing Underside, Removed From Fuselage and UprightThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 15, 2023. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Instructor's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N871LA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Austro E4-A 291 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Kingston-Ulster Airport · nearest airport
- Orange County · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 249 in the last ten years
- New York 6,663 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA23LA140.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.