Diamond Aircraft DA40F accident near Provo, Utah, September 20, 2008
On September 20, 2008 at about 4:45 am local time, a Diamond Aircraft DA40F, registered N420FP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Provo, Utah (Provo Municipal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2008 · about 4:45 am local time
- Place
- Provo, Utah · Provo Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft DA40F · all DA40Fs on the register
- Registration
- N420FP · registry record · serial 40.FC020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional cross-country flight at a cruise altitude of 8,500 feet mean sea level (msl), a bird impacted the leading edge of the airplane's right wing. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported the airplane remained controllable, but had a tendency to roll to the right and he elected to land at a nearby airport. Examination of the airplane revealed structural damage to the right wing, approximately 2-3 feet inboard of the wing tip. No preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane were reported.
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
- Birdstrike during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 558 hours in all; 244 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 479 as pilot in command; 226 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,022 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,535 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Utah State University
The flight
- Departed from: KU14 Nephi UT
- Destination: KLGU Logan UT
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.