19961123036339A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Post A · Williamsport, PA · November 23, 1996

Date: November 23, 1996 · 10:10 local
Place: Williamsport, PA
Airport: Williamsport-Lycoming County
Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N818Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC97LA020
Reported as: Post A
Reported engine: Lycoming O290*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 290 total50 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N818ZRegistration cancelled May 13, 2013 · Eaa-Bi-Plane AS/N 1-CJZ · Built 1968 Airframe modelEaa-Bi-Plane A Engine modelLycoming 0-290 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The pilot/owner of the aircraft completed the preflight and started the engine by hand propping. When he climbed into the cockpit, he closed the canopy to reduce the wind, but did not lock the canopy. After taxi and run-up, he still failed to lock the canopy, and began the takeoff roll. At rotation speed, the conopy slid back, caught his headphones, and held his head back. The pilot lost directional control, went off the runway, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by use of a checklist.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE PILOT/OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED THE PREFLIGHT AND STARTED THE ENGINE BY HAND PROPPING. WHEN HE CLIMBED INTO THE COCKPIT, HE CLOSED THE CANOPY TO REDUCE THE WIND, BUT DID NOT LOCK THE CANOPY. AFTER TAXI AND RUN-UP, HE STILL FAILED TO LOCK THE CANOPY, AND BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL. AT ROTATION SPEED, THE CONOPY SLID BACK, CAUGHT HIS HEADPHONES, AND HELD HIS HEAD BACK. THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WENT OFF THE RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY USE OF A CHECKLIST.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC97LA020Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWilliamsport, PAthe pilot's inadequate preflight preparation, which resulted in opening of the unsecured canopy during the takeoff roll, and subsequent loss of directional control and a nose over. A factor was: the pilot's failure to use a checklist.Nov 23, 1996 · Substantial damage