Diamond Aircraft Ind GMBH DA 42 NG accident near Leesburg, Florida, March 31, 2023
On March 31, 2023 at about 8:49 pm local time, a 2016 Diamond Aircraft Ind GMBH DA 42 NG, registered N306ER, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Leesburg, Florida (Leesburg International 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 flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 2023 · about 8:49 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Florida · Leesburg International 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 GMBH DA 42 NG, built 2016
- Registration
- N306ER · registry record · serial 42.N206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on approach for a short field landing, the flight instructor reported that the pilot undergoing instruction added power to arrest an excessive rate of descent at his instruction but removed it when the flight descended below 100 ft. The airplane began to descend rapidly and during the flare touched down first on the nose landing gear. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and added power to abort the landing, but he reported the nose dropped and the airplane began to, “…porpoise down the runway while the stall warning was sounding.” He attempted to keep the nose level but the airplane bounced about 5 or 6 times before coming to rest at the edge of the runway near the midpoint. The pilot reported that the approach was, “…a bit steep and fast due to gusty conditions.” He also reported the canopy became unlatched during the porpoising, and he held it down to prevent getting hit by debris kicked up by the propeller. A review of pictures of the airplane revealed it came to rest with the right main landing gear partially collapsed. The top center portion of the fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident. The pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,322 hours in all; 273 in this make and model; 278 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 1,218 as pilot in command; 923 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 8, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 240 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 106 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 19, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 2023; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,407 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Austro E4C (piston); 2,212 hours total
- Engine 2: Austro E4C (piston); 439 hours total
- Operator: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 6,300 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KLEE
Weather report (METAR): KLEE 312053Z 15010KT 10SM CLR 29/14 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP214 T02890144 56022
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 27, 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 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.