Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Brookhaven Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Shirley, New York 11967
Thursday, May 17, 2012 16:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings. He reported that he opened the canopy to vent the cockpit before takeoff; however, he was unsure if he verified that it was latched and locked. The pilot completed one takeoff and landing, and, on the next takeoff, the canopy lifted off of the frame during the initial climb. The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to close the canopy and continued the climb but was unsure if the airplane would maintain clearance from trees located beyond the departure end of the runway. He banked the airplane to avoid striking trees and the airplane entered a stall. The pilot pitched the airplane down and was able to recover it from the stall; however, the airplane impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane and canopy revealed that there were no preaccident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control after the cockpit canopy opened during the takeoff climb. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to securely lock the canopy before takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/17/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1615 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Shirley |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 11967 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 404917N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0725222W |
| Event Location Airport | Brookhaven Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | HWV |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 81 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1556 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HWV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 81 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.07 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KHWV 171956Z AUTO VRB04KT 10SM CLR 21/02 A30 |
| 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) | 30538 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA New England |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 29 2012 4:57PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N297SC |
| NTSB Number | ERA12CA341 |
| 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 SPORT AIRCRAFT A S |
| Aircraft Model | SPORTCRUISER |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 09SC282 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1320 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 14 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 491 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SPORT FLYING USA INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | REMSENBURG |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 11960-0303 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Mid Island Air Service |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Ronkonkoma |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 11779 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | HWV |
| Departure City | Shirley |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1600 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | HWV |
| Destination City | Shirley |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 29 2012 5:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 33 |
| Runway Length | 4222 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |