Diamond Aircraft Ind GMBH DA 40 NG accident near Goodyear, Arizona, April 20, 2017
On April 20, 2017 at about 2:19 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft Ind GMBH DA 40 NG, registered N154BY, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Goodyear, Arizona (Phoenix Goodyear 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
Loss of engine power due to the installation of an improper air induction hose, which failed and prevented sufficient air intake to the turbocharger.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2017 · about 2:19 pm local time
- Place
- Goodyear, Arizona · Phoenix Goodyear · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Ind GMBH DA 40 NG NO SERIES
- Registration
- N154BY · no longer on the register · serial 40.N302
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot had been signed off for a solo instructional flight. He performed the preflight check, including a check of the engine control unit (ECU), and noted no discrepancies. The run-up and initial takeoff were normal. However, during the takeoff climb out, the student pilot noted an engine power change followed by an ECU A and ECU B failure annunciation. The student pilot was able to land in an open field and impacted several drainage ditches, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. Inspection of the engine revealed that the hose that connects the air inlet to the turbocharger inlet was found to have de-laminated or collapsed. The loss of engine power was likely due to a partial vacuum in the turbo inlet and prevented the turbo from supplying the correct air inlet pressure to the engine, thus reducing power output. The investigation found that a generic air induction hose had been installed on the accident airplane that was not part number specific. The Diamond illustrated parts breakdown calls for a specific part number for two flexible induction hoses. The operator reported that they inspected their fleet of airplanes and replaced the generic hoses with Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc. (DAI) hose.
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 engine power (total) during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during emergency descent defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › Hoses and tubes › Not serviced/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Turbocharging (recip only) › Turbocharger › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 864.4 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 11, 2017; 19.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,822 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Austro E4-A (piston); 1,806 hours total
- Operator: Ctc Aviation Leasing (US) INC
The flight
- Departed from: GYR Goodyear AZ at 2:19 pm
- Destination: GYR Goodyear AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from KGYR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on March 23, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Summary of Findings - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Summary of Findings - Operator | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | View of Failed Induction Hose (Excerpt Operator Report) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Fuel Sample | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.