Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20 accident near Lagrange, Georgia, May 13, 2018
On May 13, 2018 at about 9:20 pm local time, a 2003 Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20, registered N143MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lagrange, Georgia (Lagrange-Callaway 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain lateral control during a soft-field takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2018 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lagrange, Georgia · Lagrange-Callaway · 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 20 C1, built 2003
- Registration
- N143MA · registry record · serial C0243
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, during a soft-field takeoff, the student kept the stick back and allowed the airplane's nose to rise. The airplane drifted to the left and he reminded the student to apply right rudder and right aileron. He added that it seemed like the student applied too much right aileron, and the right wing was close to dragging on the runway. The flight instructor prepared to take the flight controls, and the student overcorrected to the left and the left wing impacted the ground. The flight instructor took control of the airplane, reduced power, and taxied to park without further incident. The student pilot reported that, during a soft-field takeoff, about 30 to 35 knots, the airplane lifted off the ground and encountered a crosswind that rolled the airplane to the right. The right wing dragged on the ground, he rolled the airplane to the left, and the left wing then impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. The school's chief flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with 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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 34 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 635 hours in all; 246 in this make and model; 239 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 564 as pilot in command; 240 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 5, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,429.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2018
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-240-B (piston); 6,430 hours total
- Operator: Falcon Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: CCO Atlanta GA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: LGC Lagrange GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 5,599 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from KCCO, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA282.