Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1 accident near Concord, California, November 11, 1999
On November 11, 1999 at about 8:47 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1, registered N183DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Concord, California (Buchanan Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 touch-and-go takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 1999 · about 8:47 pm local time
- Place
- Concord, California · Buchanan Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1
- Registration
- N183DA · registry record · serial 10183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. On the third approach he noted the airplane was blown slightly off centerline, and he corrected back to centerline. The airplane landed on the centerline just past the runway numbers. He adjusted the flaps up one notch and pushed the carburetor heat in. As he advanced the throttle, the airplane veered to the left off of the runway. The airplane struck the windsock pole located between the runway and a taxiway. The area where the accident occurred was observed to have no skid marks or tire tracks. The airplane rudder braking system and wheels were inspected with no abnormalities noted.
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: student
- Flight time: 24 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,609 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CCR at 8:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1R, 2,768 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from CCR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX00LA032.