Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Marana Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Marana, Arizona 85653
Monday, March 31, 2008 11:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane's canopy partially opened shortly after takeoff, and the pilot elected to return to the airport for landing. When he was about one-half mile from the airport, he inadvertently allowed the airspeed to drop below stall speed (Vs), and the airplane stalled and mushed into the terrain. A postaccident inspection of the latch found it to be fully functional, with no evidence that it would not latch the canopy if the canopy was firmly closed. The latching mechanism is of a spring-loaded self-activating design that automatically slides over the top of a tang attached to the canopy when the canopy is firmly closed by the pilot. The mechanism then remains in the latched position until the pilot moves the release ring into a position that causes the latch to release. The latching mechanism is located about a foot above, and six inches behind, the right shoulder of a pilot sitting in the left seat. In this position the latch is not easily checked visually, thus dictating that the pilot close the canopy firmly, and then push up on the canopy firmly in order to ensure that the latching mechanism has become fully engaged. Discussions with the manufacturer disclosed that since the time that this airplane was manufactured, but prior to this accident, the manufacturer redesigned the airplane canopy latching system. The new design incorporates two latching mechanisms that are located just forward of the pilot on the left and right side fuselage surfaces upon which the canopy rests when closed. The mechanisms are not self-locking, and are instead positive-action latches that must be engaged by the pilot.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed above stalling speed (Vs) during an emergency landing after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was an inadequate preflight inspection, and the airplane's canopy coming partially open shortly after takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/31/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1100 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Marana |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85653 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 322434N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1111306W |
| Event Location Airport | Marana Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KAVQ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1893 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.07 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24054 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 31 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 28 2008 3:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Scottsdale FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N31KP |
| NTSB Number | SEA08LA101 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Jihlavan |
| Aircraft Model | KP 5 ASA |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 5126143L |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1278 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 290 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Harold J. Anderson |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Marana |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85653 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KAVQ |
| Departure City | Marana |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1058 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KAVQ |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 30 2008 5:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 30 |
| Runway Length | 6849 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |