Diamond DA40 Diamond Star, N386MA: Accident occurred August 19, 2020 at Benson Municipal Airport (E95), Cochise County, Arizona

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah

Diamond Aircraft; London, Ontario

https://registry.faa.gov/N386MA

Location: Benson, AZ 

Accident Number: WPR20LA290

Date & Time: August 19, 2020, 21:50 Local

Registration: N386MA

Aircraft: Diamond DA40 Injuries: 2 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

On August 19, 2020, about 2150 mountain standard time, a Diamond DA40 airplane, N386MA, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident in Benson, Arizona. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and pilot undergoing instruction (PUI) were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight.

The CFI stated that they departed from Tucson, Arizona with the purpose of landing in Benson for the PUI to fulfill a night cross-country flight time requirement toward his commercial license. The PUI completed a normal approach to runway 10 and started the landing flare at about 65 kts. The main landing gear touched down on the runway surface first and as soon as the nose lowered, they heard a loud noise. The PUI held the control stick aft in an attempt to keep the nose up as the airspeed was slowing, but they soon heard the strut scraping along the runway. Upon egressing the airplane, they observed that the nose gear has separated at the pivot axle (see Picture 1). 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Diamond 

Registration: N386MA

Model/Series: DA40 

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Amateur Built: No

Operator:

Operating Certificate(s) Held: Pilot school (141)

Operator Designator Code: 470K

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: KTUS,2555 ft msl 

Observation Time: 03:53 Local

Distance from Accident Site: 31 Nautical Miles

Temperature/Dew Point: 38°C /8°C

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 330°

Lowest Ceiling:

None Visibility: 10 miles

Altimeter Setting: 29.86 inches Hg 

Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR

Departure Point: Mesa, AZ (FFZ)

Destination: Benson, AZ (E95)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: 

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A 

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 2 None 

Latitude, Longitude: 31.999444,-110.36