Diamond DA20C1 accident near Spanish Fork, Utah, January 14, 2011
On January 14, 2011 at about 2:51 am local time, a Diamond DA20C1, registered N376DC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Spanish Fork, Utah (Spanish Fork 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2011 · about 2:51 am local time
- Place
- Spanish Fork, Utah · Spanish Fork · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond DA20C1
- Registration
- N376DC · registry record · serial CO376
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the approach and landing were uneventful through touchdown. He landed on the center of the runway, but the airplane started to drift to the left. He added right rudder with some brake pressure, which slowed the drift to the left, but did not completely stop it. He continued these inputs, but the left main tire caught a snow bank. After traveling a few hundred feet, the airplane spun 90 degrees into the snowbank. The operator reported that there were left tire skid marks as the airplane exited the runway, and opined that either the pilot or passenger had their foot on the left brake pedal. The operator issued a new caution to all of its instructors and pilots regarding the use of brakes on touchdown and rollout and reminded them to brief all front seat passengers to keep their feet off the rudder and brake pedals.
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)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 92 hours in all; 892 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 22, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,237 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,770 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-240-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNY Moab UT
- Destination: U77 Spanish Fork UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 5,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Observation at 2:46 am from KPVU
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.
Other NTSB records under N376DC 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.