Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 40 accident near Lake Pleasant, Arizona, May 12, 2007
On May 12, 2007 at about 3:03 am local time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 40, registered N512DS, was destroyed in an accident near Lake Pleasant, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude above the surface of water during an intentional buzzing maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the nighttime lighting environment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2007 · about 3:03 am local time
- Place
- Lake Pleasant, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 40
- Registration
- N512DS · no longer on the register · serial 40.622
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot telephoned an acquaintance who was boating on a lake, and informed him that he planned to overfly the lake. At the end of the evening's civil twilight, witnesses observed the airplane approach the lake. The pilot telephoned the acquaintance and asked him to shine a light toward the airplane to facilitate being located on the lake. Other recreational boaters in the vicinity reported observing the airplane perform low altitude maneuvers, including a steep pull-up and a 70-degree angle bank. Witnesses estimated that some maneuvers were performed within a wingspan or two above the lake. The witnesses said the engine was not sputtering and sounded "real strong." During one of the buzzing maneuvers, the airplane descended into the lake, fragmented, and sank. The accident occurred minutes after the end of civil twilight with a marginally visible horizon. A majority of the wreckage, to include the engine, was not recovered.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,700 hours in all
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 93 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2007; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,535 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 MIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ at 2:46 am
- Destination: SDL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from DVT, 14 miles away
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.