Diamond Aircraft Industries DA20-A1 accident near San Carlos, California, November 21, 1995
On November 21, 1995 at about 1:57 am local time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA20-A1, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N402KT, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Carlos, California (San Carlos 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 improper recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain directional control, while landing at night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 1995 · about 1:57 am local time
- Place
- San Carlos, California · San Carlos · 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-A1, amateur-built
- Registration
- N402KT · registry record · serial 10039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made two attempts to land and executed a go-around each time for what appeared to the local controller to be a too-fast approach. After another approach, the aircraft touched down and bounced a couple of times, then it veered off the runway and collided with a runway sign. The wind was calm, and the pilot reported no mechanical problems.
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: 136 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 54 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 205 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 9, 1995; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,610 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Diamond Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SQL
- Destination: SQL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from SQL
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.