Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Camarillo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Camarillo, California 93010
Sunday, April 5, 2009 11:30 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to takeoff, the pilot, who was receiving instrument flight instruction, closed the left side canopy door. The door is composed of a composite material that can be torsionally deformed during the closing and locking process if both the forward and rear door pins are not fully engaged in their respective fuselage frame receptacles. During the door closing operation, the door's aft locking pin was not completely engaged into its receptacle in the door frame. The airplane's flight manual's "Before Takeoff" checklist contains the line item that the doors are to be "CLOSED AND SECURE." The pilot and flight instructor departed for the flight and initially the left side door remained closed; however, the door popped open when the airplane entered an area of moderate turbulence. Thereafter, the left side door's structure ripped apart with the majority of the door separating from the airplane. A portion of the door impacted and dented the left stabilator, and a portion of the door became lodged in the airplane's empennage. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and, unable to maintain altitude, descended and landed at a nearby airport without further incident. After this event, the airplane's manufacturer enhanced the checklist to include the following statement: "Canopy Doors (Both FWD pins and both AFT pins) ENGAGED AND SECURE. [[NOTE]] Verify doors are closed by pushing on aft section of both doors." Also, the manufacturer issued Service Document number SB-09-003, indicating the availability of a tapered aft actuator door pin that, when installed, will facilitate the door's locking pins' engagement into the door frame receptacle.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The cruise flight separation of the canopy door. Contributing to the incident was the pilot's failure to ensure that the left side door was securely closed prior to takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 4/5/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1130 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Camarillo |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93010 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 341200N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1190200W |
| Event Location Airport | Camarillo |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CMA |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 77 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1055 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CMA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 77 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| 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) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 80 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 16 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KCMA 041755Z 08008G16KT 10SM CLR 19/M01 A300 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26562 |
| NTSB Notification Source | J. Bellier, Pilot |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 27 2010 4:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N519XL |
| NTSB Number | WPR09IA187 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | LIBERTY AEROSPACE INCORPORATED |
| Aircraft Model | LIBERTY XL-2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0014 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1653 |
| 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 | Jul 1 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 75 |
| Airframe Hours | 253 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MYF - XL2 INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3068 SPRUCEWOOD LN |
| Aircraft Owner City | ESCONDIDO |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92027-6722 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Armed Forces Flying Club, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | Montgomery Field |
| Operator City | San Diego |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 92101 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MYF |
| Departure City | San Diego |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1000 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | OXR |
| Destination City | Oxnard |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 27 2010 4:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |