Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Warren County Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mcminnville, Tennessee 37129
Thursday, September 2, 2010 14:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he taxied to the runway for the purpose of performing a high speed taxi run. After an engine run-up, he latched the two canopy latches on the right side and scanned the instrument panel, noticing that the cylinder head temperature and oil temperature were rising. He stated that his attention was diverted in concern of the rising temperature and did not recall if he latched the two latches on the left side of the canopy. He started the takeoff roll and after becoming airborne, he noticed the canopy opening on the left side. The pilot attempted to latch the canopy, but realized it would take both hands, and continued to climb to pattern altitude while trimming the aircraft for better airspeed control. He then pulled the throttle back to slow the airspeed and attempted to latch the canopy. The canopy started flapping up and down, and when he tried to secure it shut with his hands he was not be able to control the airplane. He stated that debris was flying everywhere and the wind blew off his headset. When he realized that he was getting low he added full engine power and looked for a clear area; shortly thereafter the airplane collided with the ground.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to properly latch the cockpit canopy prior to takeoff, resulting in his diverted attention and failure to maintain aircraft control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/2/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | McMinnville |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 37129 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 354155N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0855037W |
| Event Location Airport | Warren County Memorial Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | RNC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1032 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1356 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MQY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 543 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 37 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 33 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| 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 | 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) | 28227 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA/FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 12 2011 3:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N320CY |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA461 |
| 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 | Yeager Inc. |
| Aircraft Model | Lancair |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 320 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 384-320-139 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1685 |
| 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 | Sep 2 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 1 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Yeager, Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 227 Mariners Way |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bear |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19701 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Donald Yeager |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Murfreesboro |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 37129 |
| 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 | RNC |
| Departure City | McMinnville |
| Departure State | TN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1345 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | RNC |
| Destination City | McMinnville |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 12 2011 3:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |