NTSB Factual Report

On October 13, 2017, at 0857 mountain standard time (MST), during taxi to parking, a Diamond DA-40 airplane, N965DS, produced an abnormal "squeeking" noise coming from the right main landing gear, at Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, Arizona. The pilot in command and the pilot under evaluation were not injured. The operator believes that some degree of damage was sustained during the prior flight. The airplane was registered to CAE Oxford Aviation Academy, Phoenix, Arizona, and operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a visual flight rules, local flight, flight evaluation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The flight originated from Falcon Field Airport at 1450 MST.

The pilot in command (PIC) was a Federal Aviation Administration Certificated Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) and Flight Instructor. The flight was conducted to evaluate a flight instructor, that was being considered for employment with the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 141 operated flight school. During the flight two touch-and-go landings were performed, followed by a full stop landing. During the taxi to parking, the PIC noticed an abnormal noise emanating from the right main landing gear area. The airplane continued to the parking ramp without further incident.

The previous evening, a night, visual flight rules cross-country flight was conducted in the accident airplane. On that flight, the pilot reported that the right main landing gear struck a coyote when the airplane touched down. The airplane was subsequently examined the night of the coyote strike, by the flight school's Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic. The A&P deemed the airplane airworthy and it remained in service. The next day, the airplane was dispatched for flight, but there was no entry in the airplane's technical log as to the events that transpired during the night flight.

The day of the accident flight, the ATP sent the flight instructor under evaluation to the airplane to begin the pre-flight airplane inspection. The ATP stopped by the dispatch area on his way to the airplane, and he was informed of the events that transpired the night prior. The ATP and the flight instructor under evaluation inspected the airplane and determined it to be airworthy. The flight check entailed two touch-and-go landings at two different airports, followed by a full stop landing at the Falcon Field. After the flight, they taxied to parking and the ATP noticed a "squeeking" noise coming from the right main landing gear area. The airplane was met by the operator's Safety Officer, and the airplane was removed from service. Further investigation continues.