Diamond Aircraft Industries DA-40 accident near Lakeview, Oregon, May 11, 2008
On May 11, 2008, a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA-40, registered N196DC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lakeview, Oregon (Lake County 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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain directional control. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2008
- Place
- Lakeview, Oregon · Lake County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Industries DA-40
- Registration
- N196DC · registry record · serial 40.373
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was approaching his destination and listened to the automated weather observation system (AWOS) which indicated winds were from 230 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot landed on runway 16 and during the landing, the right wing lifted, and the airplane veered to the left of the runway into a field. As the airplane rolled through the field, the left main landing gear separated and the left wing impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage. The airplane came to rest in a ditch. Following the accident, the pilot said that the wind was gusting. In his statement, the pilot noted that the airport guide indicates that pilots are authorized to land on the taxiway which runs northeast/southwest during crosswind conditions. The pilot felt that the 10-knot velocity of the wind did not warrant landing on the taxiway. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions.
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 landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 293 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-360-M1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alpine Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PUW Pullman-Moscow ID
- Destination: LKV Lakeview OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,306 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 SEA08CA131.