# Accident 19970907025619A: Diamon DA20A1, Concord, NC, September 7, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 7, 1997, 15:00 local time
- Place: Concord, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.4107° N, 80.6809° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4107&lon=-80.6809&mi=10
- Aircraft: N560SS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N560SS-2013-08-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-A1 (registry code 2990000, https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da20-a1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMON DA20A1
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX912
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 199 total, 13 in this make and model, 31 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA240](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA240) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970907025619A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

CANOPY CAME OFF ON FINAL. ADDED POWER BUT SETTLED INTO TREES. CRASHED INVERTED. SHOULD BE CAPABLE MAKE RUNWAY. (.4)THE PILOT FORGOT TO LATCH THE CANOPY CLOSED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKEOFF HE ENTERED THE PATTERN TO RETURN FOR A LANDING. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE CANOPY OPENED AND STAYED ON THE AIRCRAFT IN THE FULL OPEN POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WITH FULL ENGINE POWER AND SETTLED INTO TREES AND CRASHED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE CANOPY UNLOCKED LIGHT WAS STILL ILLUMINATED AND THE CANOPY LATCHES WERE FOUND IN THE OPEN POSITION.    (-23)INCIDENT PILOT IS A STUDENT PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^      WHO WAS ON A SOLO FLIGHT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT CONCORD REGIONAL AIRPORT (JQF).  ON FINAL APPROACH FOR AN INTENDED TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING, THE CANOPY CAME OPEN AND REMAINED ATTACHED TOT HE ARICRAFT IN THE FULL OPEN POSITION.  THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND CONTACTED TREES APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THEN ROLLED TO AN INVERTED ALTITUDE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.  AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, THE PILOT CRAWLED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE CANO                                       PY SILL AND THE GROUND. PILOT COMMENTED OF HAVING SORE NECK AND WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA97LA240](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA240), Sep 7, 1997: Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1 (N560SS), Concord, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to latch the canopy closed prior to takeoff. This resulted in the canopying opening while on approach to land and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude due to the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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