Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20-C1 accident near Spanish Fork, Utah, July 1, 2009
On July 1, 2009 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20-C1, registered N765DC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Spanish Fork, Utah (Spanish Fork-Springville 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 improper landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2009 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Spanish Fork, Utah · Spanish Fork-Springville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Ind INC DA 20-C1
- Registration
- N765DC · registry record · serial C0165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that his final approach to the runway was high and that he "slipped" the airplane to lose altitude. As the airplane crossed over the runway, he pitched the airplane forward to prepare for landing. The student pilot stated that he "felt the [air]plane losing forward momentum and added throttle to compensate." The airplane landed hard, bounced back into the air, and began to drift to the left. As the student pilot attempted to abort the landing by applying full throttle and reducing flaps, the airplane landed hard and exited the runway to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted a ditch, which resulted in structural damage to the rudder, left aileron, fuselage, and engine firewall. The student pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe prior to 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 29 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,660 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 13, 2009; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,764 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-240 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airgyro Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: U77 Spanish Fork UT at 5:45 pm
- Destination: U77 Spanish Fork UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from PVU, 5 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.
Other NTSB records under N765DC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.