This should have been added to my Common Issues Blog being one of the most common installations. While installing downspouts so they terminate above the roof surface isn't a "defect" I always recommend routing downspouts to the gutter below. In this application there is about three fee between the downspout and gutter. Adding an extension here would have been simple.
The below images show an extreme example of what could happen. When I walked up to this house the first photograph I took was an image of the entire front of the home. Next I photographed the downspout terminating on the roof then the deteriorated shingles. It wasn't until I finished the exterior that I noticed the garage drywall damage and even later the moisture in the garage attic. There was also damage to the bedroom wall on this corner with drywall swelling, saturated, and crumbling.
One or more downspouts terminate above roof surfaces rather than being routed to gutters below or to the ground level. This is very common, but it can reduce the life of roof surface materials below due to large amounts of water frequently flowing over the roof surface. Granules typically are washed off of composition shingles as a result, and leaks may occur. Recommend considering having a qualified contractor install extensions as necessary so downspouts don't terminate above roof surfaces.
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