A data storage device may be destroyed by suspending a transducing head above a data storage medium prior to inducing contact of the transducing head with a first layer of the data storage medium in response to a signal from a controller. Deflection of the transducing head can then be increased to penetrate to a destroy depth in a second layer of the data storage medium that is maintained while the data storage medium spins. The controller may then issue at least one data read command to access data from the data storage medium and when a data read error is received, the data storage medium and transducing head can be verified as destroyed and incapable of accessing data previously written to the data storage medium.