Diamond DA20 accident near Convington, Tennessee, August 31, 2019
On August 31, 2019 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2016 Diamond DA20, registered N98BZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Convington, Tennessee (Covington Muni 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 student pilot's improper pitch attitude during the takeoff climb, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and ground impact.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2019 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Convington, Tennessee · Covington Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond DA20 C1, built 2016
- Registration
- N98BZ · registry record · serial C0689
- 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 he instructed his student to perform a soft-field takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the instructor had his hands on the flight controls while the student pilot released the yoke back pressure and the airplane began to climb, but the airplane's nose was too high. The flight instructor pushed forward on the control stick to correct the nose high attitude, "and the plane started to pull to the right." The flight instructor does not know whether the stall warning horn sounded, as the airplane flew over the right edge of the runway, but he does recall being on the flight controls when the airplane descended and impacted the grass safety area on the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage composite structure. The pilot 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 in flight during landing
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 281 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 203 as pilot in command; 32 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 24, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 38 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 760.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,770 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-240-B (piston); 790 hours total
- Operator: Cti Aircraft Leasing Llc
The flight
- Departed from: M04 Convington TN at 11:00 pm
- Destination: NQA Millington TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,004 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 am from KM04
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 3, 2020. 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.
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.