Falcon Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesa, Arizona 85215
Saturday, November 24, 2007 16:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot was practicing short-field landings. While on short final in a crab to compensate for the crosswind conditions, he realized that the airplane was below the glide path of the destination runway and began to flare in an effort to reduce the rapid rate of descent. The airplane landed hard on the left main landing gear and began an abrupt veer to the left of runway centerline. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's failure to maintain the proper glide path and misjudged flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/24/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Mesa
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85215
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 332739N
Event Location Longitude 1114342W
Event Location Airport Falcon Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22865
NTSB Notification Source SW FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2008 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4191D
NTSB Number LAX08CA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Diamond Aircraft Industries
Aircraft Model DA-20-C1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number C0408
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Sabena Airline Training Center
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Mesa
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85215
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FFZ
Departure City Mesa
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FFZ
Destination City Mesa
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2007 4:23PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 4L
Runway Length 3799
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --