Both Instructor And Student Pilot Suffered Minor Injuries

A training flight in ended almost as quickly as it began on January 29th when the Diamond DA 20 being used for instruction went down shortly after takeoff. Fortunately, neither person on board the airplane was seriously injured.

According to the NTSB's preliminary report, the single engine Diamond DA-20-C1 airplane, N959DA, was substantially damaged upon impact with terrain at Butts Army Airfield (KFCS), Fort Carson, Colorado. The flight instructor and student pilot suffered minor injuries. The airplane was owned by Doss Aviation Incorporated and operated under contract for the United States Air Force (USAF). The airplane was departing on a training flight for Pueblo Memorial Airport (KPUB), Pueblo, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 public use flight.

According to the flight instructor and student pilot, while departing from Runway 13, the airplane entered into a steep left bank. The flight instructor was unable to maintain control and the airplane impacted terrain near midfield, coming to rest inverted. Less than a minute prior to commencing their takeoff roll, the flight instructor and student observed a helicopter depart from Runway 13.

The weather observation station at KFCS reported the following conditions at 1458: wind 170 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, broken clouds at 17,000 feet above ground level (AGL), temperature 5 degrees Celsius, dew point negative 8 degrees Celsius, and altimeter setting 29.76.

(DA-20 pictured in file photo. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov