Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20 C1 accident near Salisbury, Maryland, June 24, 2015
On June 24, 2015 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 2004 Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20 C1, registered N577MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Salisbury, Maryland (Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico 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 loss of directional control during the landing roll, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2015 · about 5:30 pm local time · cases in 2015
- Place
- Salisbury, Maryland · Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico · cases near this 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 20 C1 C1, built 2004
- Registration
- N577MA · registry record · serial C0277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that the high-wing airplane in which she had received her initial flight training had been sold, and she had transitioned to the low-wing (accident) airplane. She stated that she acquired 5.9 hours of flight training in the low-wing airplane before she was authorized to solo in that airplane. During the accident landing, she reported that, "My final approach speed was a little higher than recommended and the nose of the plane was pointed slightly left of the centerline upon landing." During the landing roll, the pilot reported that she applied full back pressure and stepped on the brakes hard, but was unable to prevent the runway excursion. After departing the runway to the left, the airplane impacted a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fiberglass fuselage structure. The student pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Flight time: 44.5 hours in all; 22.8 in this make and model; 5.9 in the last 90 days; 5.9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,812 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 20, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,764 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TCM IO-240-B (piston); 450 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTN Baltimore MD at 2:00 pm
- Destination: SBY Salisbury MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 6,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:24 pm from SBY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 29, 2015. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N577MA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Continental TCM IO-240-B · as the NTSB recorded it
- Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional · nearest airport
- Martin State Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Maryland 837 since 1982 · 111 in the last ten years
- Maryland 2,357 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/GAA15CA155.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.