Pueblo Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pueblo, Colorado 81001
Monday, September 8, 2008 11:47 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the flight instructor and student pilot, while maneuvering to land, the accident airplane encountered wake turbulence from a preceding C-130 airplane. The accident airplane then began an uncommanded pitch, roll, and descent that could not be arrested prior to an impact with terrain. A review of radar data revealed that the flight path of the accident airplane was in an area favorable for a wake vortex encounter. No anomalies were reported by the flight instructor and student pilot or noted during the postaccident examination of the airframe and engine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control due to an encounter with wake turbulence from a preceding larger aircraft. Contributing to the accident was the instructor pilot's failure to intervene.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/2008
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1147
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Pueblo
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81001
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PUEBLO MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PUB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4726
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PUB
Elevation of weather observation facility 4726
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.3
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24679
NTSB Notification Source Doss Aviation
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 29 2009 11:18AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N939DA
NTSB Number DFW08TA225
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Diamond Aircraft Industries
Aircraft Model DA-20-C-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number C0505
Certified Max Gross Weight 1764
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39.3
Airframe Hours 88.7
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Doss Aviation Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3320 W. Carefree Circle
Aircraft Owner City Colorado Springs
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80917
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Doss Aviation Inc
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1 William White Blvd
Operator City Pueblo
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 81001
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PUB
Departure City PUEBLO
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1025
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 29 2009 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 08L
Runway Length 10496
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --