What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On October 1, 1998, at 1230 central daylight time, a diamond aircraft industries da 20-A1 airplane, N527SS, was substantially damaged during takeoff from David Wayne Hooks memorial airport near tomball, Texas. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to mdfc equipment leasing corporation of long beach, California, and operated by flight academy of spring, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight which was originating at the time of the accident. According to preliminary information, the pilot did not latch the canopy prior to takeoff and failed to observe the open canopy enunciator light while performing before takeoff checks. After takeoff, about 400 feet MSL, the canopy separated from the aircraft. The pilot landed the aircraft back on the runway from which they had departed without further incident. According to the FAA inspector, the main structural spar behind the cockpit which the canopy was attached sustained damage. (.4) during takeoff, at about 400 feet, the canopy separated from the airplane. The pilot turned the airplane back towards the airport and landed without further incident. The pilot reported that he did not explain to the passenger that the right side of the canopy needed to be latched before takeoff. The pilot also reported that he did not observe the canopy warning light during taxi to the runway, nor did he complete the 'canopy-secure' portion of the pre-takeoff checklist. (-23) pilot stated that he missed the canopy secure stip on the takeoff checklist and did not notice the canopy annunciator light on instrument panel prior to takeoff. The canopy separated from the airplane at approximately 400 feet MSL. The pilot made a 180 degree turn and landed safely on the runway, in the opposite direction to the traffic flow. An airworthiness inspector and manufacturer's representatives determined that the damage to structural component of fuselage meets the requirements for an accident. Pilot was counseled on CRM and checklist use. Instructor who conducted aircraft checkout was counseled on items which require special emphasis for inexperienced pilots and checkout procedures. Flight school has implemented more stringent checkout procedures for all pilots.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON OCTOBER 1, 1998, AT 1230 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A DIAMOND AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES DA 20-A1 AIRPLANE, N527SS, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING TAKEOFF FROM DAVID WAYNE HOOKS MEMORIAL AIRPORT NEAR TOMBALL, TEXAS. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO MDFC EQUIPMENT LEASING CORPORATION OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AND OPERATED BY FLIGHT ACADEMY OF SPRING, TEXAS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WHICH WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE PILOT DID NOT LATCH THE CANOPY PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND FAILED TO OBSERVE THE OPEN CANOPY ENUNCIATOR LIGHT WHILE PERFORMING BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKS. AFTER TAKEOFF, ABOUT 400 FEET MSL, THE CANOPY SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT BACK ON THE RUNWAY FROM WHICH THEY HAD DEPARTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, THE MAIN STRUCTURAL SPAR BEHIND THE COCKPIT WHICH THE CANOPY WAS ATTACHED SUSTAINED DAMAGE. (.4) DURING TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 400 FEET, THE CANOPY SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT EXPLAIN TO THE PASSENGER THAT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CANOPY NEEDED TO BE LATCHED BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT OBSERVE THE CANOPY WARNING LIGHT DURING TAXI TO THE RUNWAY, NOR DID HE COMPLETE THE 'CANOPY-SECURE' PORTION OF THE PRE-TAKEOFF CHECKLIST. (-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE MISSED THE CANOPY SECURE STIP ON THE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST AND DID NOT NOTICE THE CANOPY ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. THE CANOPY SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET MSL. THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND LANDED SAFELY ON THE RUNWAY, IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THE TRAFFIC FLOW. AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR AND MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVES DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE TO STRUCTURAL COMPONENT OF FUSELAGE MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ACCIDENT. PILOT WAS COUNSELED ON CRM AND CHECKLIST USE. INSTRUCTOR WHO CONDUCTED AIRCRAFT CHECKOUT WAS COUNSELED ON ITEMS WHICH REQUIRE SPECIAL EMPHASIS FOR INEXPERIENCED PILOTS AND CHECKOUT PROCEDURES. FLIGHT SCHOOL HAS IMPLEMENTED MORE STRINGENT CHECKOUT PROCEDURES FOR ALL PILOTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.