Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40 accident near Mesa, Arizona, October 13, 2017
On October 13, 2017 at about 3:57 pm local time, a 2009 Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 40, registered N965DS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mesa, Arizona (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway 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
A coyote strike and the subsequent operation of the airplane, which led to internal composite wing structure damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2017 · about 3:57 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Phoenix-Mesa Gateway · 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 UNDESIGNAT, built 2009
- Registration
- N965DS · no longer on the register · serial 40.1035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A student pilot was conducting a solo flight when the right main landing gear struck a coyote during the landing flare. The pilot contacted flight school management to inform them of the event. A visual examination that the pilot conducted did not reveal any damage, and she was instructed to fly the airplane back to the home airport. Upon landing, a flight school mechanic examined the airplane and reported seeing hair on the landing gear; the airplane remained in service. The next morning, the airplane was dispatched for a local employment evaluation flight. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction completed a preflight inspection, and no anomalies were observed. The employment evaluation flight departed and consisted of instrument approaches and touch-and-go landings. After the final landing, the pilots heard an abnormal noise coming from the right main landing gear area. Postaccident examination revealed that the internal composite wing structure where the landing gear attaches was fractured. Based on the available information, the damage to the wing structure was likely a result of the wildlife strike, which damaged the landing gear mount, and the subsequent operation of the airplane, which likely aggravated the damage.
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
- Wildlife encounter (non-bird) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Aircraft structural failure during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Landing gear (fitting on wing) › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › (general) › Capability exceeded
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,650 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 112 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 3,350 as pilot in command; 3,450 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 26, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- 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: 976 hours in all; 218 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 866 as pilot in command; 620 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,086.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 6, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,646 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 7,137 hours total
- Operator: Cae Oxford Aviation Academy Phoenix INC
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 2:50 pm
- Destination: KFFZ Mesa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30R, 9,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:57 pm from KFFZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on September 25, 2019. 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 | Coyote Strike -pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Technical Log -maintenance Squawk | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record -factual | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Memorandum for Record -operator's Internal Document | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | 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.