Diamond Aircraft Industries DA20-C1 Katana accident near Hillsboro, Texas, July 16, 2003
On July 16, 2003 at about 1:30 am local time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA20-C1 Katana, registered N905CT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsboro, Texas (Hillsboro Municipal airport). It was a personal 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's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total flying experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2003 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Hillsboro, Texas · Hillsboro Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Industries DA20-C1 Katana
- Registration
- N905CT · no longer on the register · serial CO105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll, as the airplane accelerated through 45-50 knots, the airplane veered abruptly off the right side of the runway. The pilot stated that he then began to rotate to avoid the runway lights. The airplane struck a runway light and settled in a shallow ditch. The pilot reported that he reduced engine power at this time. The airplane then proceed through the ditch, shearing off the nose landing gear, buckling the main landing gear, and damaging the propeller. The airplane traveled another 20 yards before coming to a stop. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane, and an inspection of the accident site and wreckage did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane's brakes. Evidence was found to indicate that the airplane departed the runway about 600 feet from the takeoff runway threshold. An automated weather observation at the airport near the time of the accident indicated that the winds were from 120 degrees at 5 knots. The pilot reported that the airplane veered off toward the right during the takeoff roll, and that the wind was blowing toward the left side of the runway. The pilot's total flight experience was reported to be about 73 hours.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 73 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-240-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5T5 Hillsboro TX at 2:30 am
- Destination: 5T5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.