Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Vance Brand Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Longmont, Colorado 80503
Friday, January 30, 2009 17:50 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot took off with the canopy not fully locked. During the takeoff, the canopy opened. Not certain that he could stop on the remaining runway, the pilot continued the takeoff and climbed to a safe altitude. While attempting to return to the airport and simultaneously fighting the canopy oscillation, the pilot lost control of the airplane on approach and impacted the terrain. The kit manufacturer stated that the airplane is flyable with the canopy open.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft pitch control resulting in the airplane impacting the terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's failure to ensure the canopy was fully locked prior to takeoff and the canopy oscillations in flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/30/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1750 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Longmont |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80503 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400931N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1050929W |
| Event Location Airport | Vance Brand Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KLMO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KLMO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| 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) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -12 |
| 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) | 30.1 |
| 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) | 25229 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 20 2009 4:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N939CB |
| NTSB Number | CEN09LA207 |
| 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 | HALL STEVEN C |
| Aircraft Model | LANCAIR LE |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | L2K-259 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 16 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 80 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Fahren Corporation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 100 Sander Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Golden |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80403-9700 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Fahren Corporation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 100 Sander Rd |
| Operator City | Golden |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 80403-9700 |
| 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 | KLMO |
| Departure City | Longmont |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KBJC |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 18 2009 2:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 29 |
| Runway Length | 4800 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |