Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Casa Grande Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Casa Grande, Arizona 85222
Tuesady, January 6, 2009 16:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot followed the manufacturer’s before-takeoff checklist, but failed to ensure that the canopy was latched prior to takeoff. The canopy of the Special Light Sport category airplane popped open during the initial climb, about 500 feet above ground. The canopy is hinged in front of the cockpit and rotates upward when open. The pilot said that he tried to keep the canopy closed with his free hand but the canopy continued to rise higher and higher. The pilot turned back to the airport and made an off-field landing. Inspection of the canopy latch mechanism revealed no mechanical anomalies, and the canopy latch hooks aligned with the canopy frame latch slots. When the airplane is static, the canopy will remain in the closed position with the canopy lever in the ‘open’ (unlatched) position. By design the canopy latch lever is positioned behind the pilot’s right elbow, and not in direct view when looking forward or at the instrument panel. The manufacturer does not provide a ‘canopy unlatched’ warning device, and the Pilot Operating Handbook does not include a checklist step to check that the canopy is latched. It also it does not provide procedures for the pilot to execute if the canopy is unlatched or becomes unlatched in flight. The ASTM standard that guides Light Sport Aircraft design does not address canopy latching/locking systems or the associated Pilot Operating Handbook information.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to ensure that the canopy was latched prior to takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate guidance in the Pilot Operating Handbook regarding canopy procedures.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/6/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Casa Grande |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85222 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 325717N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1114601W |
| Event Location Airport | Casa Grande Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KCGZ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1464 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1515 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCGZ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1464 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| 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) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.1 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26106 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 25 2009 1:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N797BS |
| NTSB Number | WPR09LA075 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Czech Aircraft Works |
| Aircraft Model | Sport Cruiser |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 08SC115 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1320 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| 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 | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 22 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 105 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert A Switzer |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Sun City West |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85375 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Robert A Switzer |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Sun City West |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85375 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | KCGZ |
| Departure City | Casa Grande |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1530 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KFFZ |
| Destination City | Falcon Field |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 25 2009 1:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 05 |
| Runway Length | 5200 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |