Diamond DA 42 NG accident near Palatka, Florida, July 10, 2019
On July 10, 2019 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2008 Diamond DA 42 NG, registered N805PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Palatka, Florida (Palatka Muni - Lt Kay Larkin F 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 receiving instruction's failure to extend the landing gear and the flight instructor's failure to verify that the landing gear was extended due to distraction, which resulted in a gear-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2019 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palatka, Florida · Palatka Muni - Lt Kay Larkin F · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond DA 42 NG Undesignat, built 2008
- Registration
- N805PA · registry record · serial 42.321
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor in the retractable, landing gear-equipped airplane reported that the pilot receiving instruction was on the controls and that he told the instructor that he was feeling some motion sickness due to light turbulence in the pattern; the pilot corroborated the instructor's statement and stated that he was also fatigued. The instructor reported that, during their discussion, they became distracted and did not configure the airplane for landing; the pilot reported that they did not complete the landing checklist. Subsequently, the airplane landed with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both engine gear boxes. The 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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 233 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 148 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 30, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 1,119 in this make and model; 283 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 2,595 as pilot in command; 2,515 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 16, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,285.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 4,189 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Astro E4-B (piston); 2,992 hours total
- Engine 2: Astro E4-B (piston); 2,780 hours total
- Operator: Phoenix East Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 28J Palatka FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,510 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from K28J
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 September 26, 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 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident 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.
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.