19990817025049I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Rhnflu EA 300/L · Maui, HI · August 17, 1999

Date: August 17, 1999 · 16:30 local
Place: Maui, HI
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N815C
Reported as: Rhnflu EA300L
Reported engine: Lycoming AEIO540D4A5
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 375 total285 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N815CRegistered now · Extra Flugzeugbau EA 300/LS/N 021 · Built 1996 Airframe modelExtra Flugzeugbau EA 300/L Engine modelLycoming AEIO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

Mr. Churchill departed ogg enroute to hnl. About 2 miles after departure he called for return to landing and squawked 7700 code on the transponder. He returned and landed safely. The pilot required 4 stitches at the local emergency room due to the plexiglass wound on forehead. Pilot stated he might have hit bird. Evidence suggest that the forward canopy latch did not engage, and the rear latch failed after cruise airspeed was attained. The pilot stated that the canopy hit the wing, then he reduced airspeed and was able to close and latch the canopy.

As the FAA filed it

MR. CHURCHILL DEPARTED OGG ENROUTE TO HNL. ABOUT 2 MILES AFTER DEPARTURE HE CALLED FOR RETURN TO LANDING AND SQUAWKED 7700 CODE ON THE TRANSPONDER. HE RETURNED AND LANDED SAFELY. THE PILOT REQUIRED 4 STITCHES AT THE LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM DUE TO THE PLEXIGLASS WOUND ON FOREHEAD. PILOT STATED HE MIGHT HAVE HIT BIRD. EVIDENCE SUGGEST THAT THE FORWARD CANOPY LATCH DID NOT ENGAGE, AND THE REAR LATCH FAILED AFTER CRUISE AIRSPEED WAS ATTAINED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE CANOPY HIT THE WING, THEN HE REDUCED AIRSPEED AND WAS ABLE TO CLOSE AND LATCH THE CANOPY.