What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On July 11, 1999, at 1915 central daylight time, a mcmillan zodiac ch 601 hd, N6781Z, piloted by a private pilot, impacted terrain and a pond after takeoff from runway 27 (2,600 feet x 70 feet dry/asphalt and turf) at Cedar Ridge Airport, Nauvoo, Illinois. The pilot and passenger reported minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the 14 CFR part 91 flight. The airplane was not operating on a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. During a conversation with the pilot, he stated that he was distracted during his checklist procedures. His boom mike was loose and he tightened the fastener holding it on. The pilot said that this distration allowed him to forget to pin the canopy. He stated that he started his departure down the runway and he rotated the airplane at about 70 knots. The pilot said the that canopy came open and imparted a pitching and rolling motion to the airplane. He said that the plane impacted terrain and came to rest inverted in a pond near the runway. (-23) at about 2015 CDT, while on departure from runway 27 at Cedar Ridge rla the private pilot lost control of the aircraft when the canopy came open at approximately 20 feet in the air. The aircraft rolled to the left and pitched down, hitting nose first in the edge of a small lake. The aircraft came to rest inverted in about 3 to 4 feet of water, with the aft fuselage resting on a grate covering a drain stand pipe. Both the pilot and passenger escaped with minor injuries. The aircraft suffered major damage to both wings, engine, propeller, and fuselage.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON JULY 11, 1999, AT 1915 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A MCMILLAN ZODIAC CH 601 HD, N6781Z, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, IMPACTED TERRAIN AND A POND AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 27 (2,600 FEET X 70 FEET DRY/ASPHALT AND TURF) AT CEDAR RIDGE AIRPORT, NAUVOO, ILLINOIS. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. DURING A CONVERSATION WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED THAT HE WAS DISTRACTED DURING HIS CHECKLIST PROCEDURES. HIS BOOM MIKE WAS LOOSE AND HE TIGHTENED THE FASTENER HOLDING IT ON. THE PILOT SAID THAT THIS DISTRATION ALLOWED HIM TO FORGET TO PIN THE CANOPY. HE STATED THAT HE STARTED HIS DEPARTURE DOWN THE RUNWAY AND HE ROTATED THE AIRPLANE AT ABOUT 70 KNOTS. THE PILOT SAID THE THAT CANOPY CAME OPEN AND IMPARTED A PITCHING AND ROLLING MOTION TO THE AIRPLANE. HE SAID THAT THE PLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN AND CAME TO REST INVERTED IN A POND NEAR THE RUNWAY. (-23) AT ABOUT 2015 CDT, WHILE ON DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY 27 AT CEDAR RIDGE RLA THE PRIVATE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHEN THE CANOPY CAME OPEN AT APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET IN THE AIR. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND PITCHED DOWN, HITTING NOSE FIRST IN THE EDGE OF A SMALL LAKE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED IN ABOUT 3 TO 4 FEET OF WATER, WITH THE AFT FUSELAGE RESTING ON A GRATE COVERING A DRAIN STAND PIPE. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED MAJOR DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS, ENGINE, PROPELLER, AND FUSELAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.