Diamond DA20-C1 accident near Norfolk, Virginia, July 13, 2008
On July 13, 2008 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Diamond DA20-C1, registered N956CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Norfolk, Virginia (Chesapeake Regional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot while taxiing for takeoff. A factor contributing to the accident was the student pilot's failure to maintain a visual lookout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2008 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Norfolk, Virginia · Chesapeake Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond DA20-C1
- Registration
- N956CT · registry record · serial C0116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot (SP) stated he added a little more power than required to start the taxi. His flight instructor (CFI) informed him to decrease the power, and looked down to tune the airplane radios. The SP initiated a right turn towards the runway, and to avoid a parked airplane. The SP did not see a light pole that was off the left side of the airplane, and the left wing collided with the light pole. Full brakes were applied by the CFI, and the airplane came to stop. When asked if the flight instructor said anything before the collision, the SP stated "no." The student pilot stated he just failed to see the pole while maneuvering to the right, resulting in the left wing colliding with the pole.
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
- Ground collision during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 440 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 390 as pilot in command; 120 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 8 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2008; 0.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,660 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-240 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tidewater Flight Center LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KCPK Norfolk VA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 8:40 pm from KCPK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA08CA148.