Diamond Aircraft Industry Inc DA 20-C1 accident near Stevensville, Maryland, September 11, 2008
On September 11, 2008 at about 4:17 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft Industry Inc DA 20-C1, registered N644DC, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Stevensville, Maryland (Bay Bridge Airport). 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2008 · about 4:17 pm local time
- Place
- Stevensville, Maryland · Bay Bridge Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Industry Inc DA 20-C1
- Registration
- N644DC · registry record · serial C0144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot stated that as he was initiating a takeoff on runway 11, he increased engine power and rudder input. During the takeoff roll, the student pilot rotated the airplane about 55 knots, and the nose landing gear lifted off the runway. The right wing then rose up and the airplane yawed to the left. The student pilot tried to correct aileron input; however, he moved the control stick rearward, but not to the side. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway and struck an embankment. During the impact, the airplane sustained damage to the landing gear, right wing, propeller, and fuselage. The reported wind at an airport 12 miles west of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was from 110 degrees at 7 knots. The student pilot reported a total flight experience of 13.5 hours, all of which was in the make and model accident airplane and accumulated during the 30 days preceding the accident.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 13 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,592 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 2008; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,764 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-240 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W29 Stevensville MD at 4:17 pm
- Destination: W29 Stevensville MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 2,903 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from ANP, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 NYC08CA313.