This October 2007 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Diamond DA-20. Location: Santaquin, Utah. Injuries: None. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The student was practicing maneuvers. He terminated a slow flight sequence by adding power, but instead of the engine power increasing, it died. The student’s attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. He executed an emergency forced landing in a nearby field. The terrain was rough and during the landing roll the nose gear was torn from the airplane. A series of extensive engine test runs and inspections did not find any anomalies or malfunctions that would have contributed to a loss of engine power. The airplane’s fuel tanks contained 17 gallons of fuel.
Probable cause: A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
For more information: NTSB.gov
