# Accident 19981001042209A: Diamon DA20A1, Houston, TX, October 1, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 1, 1998, 12:30 local time - Place: Houston, TX - Airport: David Wayne Hooks Memorial Arp - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.0897° N, 95.6097° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0897&lon=-95.6097&mi=10 - Aircraft: N527SS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N527SS-2001-08-16) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-A1 (registry code 2990000, https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da20-a1) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DIAMON DA20A1 - Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX912 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 14 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA062) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981001042209A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.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. ## 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 FTW99LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA062), Oct 1, 1998: Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1 (N527SS), Tomball, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to follow the checklist and secure the canopy, which resulted in the canopy separating from the airplane during takeoff initial climb. A factor was the pilot's failure to detect… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.