# Accident 19990818012699A: Diamon DA20A1, San Carlos, CA, August 18, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 18, 1999, 14:20 local time - Place: San Carlos, CA - Airport: San Carlos Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.4903° N, 122.2605° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4903&lon=-122.2605&mi=10 - Aircraft: N854DF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N854DF-2004-05-07) (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 - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA264) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990818012699A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT CANOPY OPENED ON DEPARTURE AS ACFT TURNED DOWNWIND FOR LANDING, PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND COMMENCED A RIGHT DOWNWARD DESCENT WITH IMPACT APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE NORTH OF ARPT. (.19) ON AUGUST 18, 1999, AT 1420 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A KATANA DA 20-A1, N854DF, LOST FLYING SPEED AND CRASHED AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE IN SAN CARLOS, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT BY DIAMOND AVIATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE SAN CARLOS AIRPORT AT 1419 ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. WHILE TURNING CROSSWIND AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT RADIOED THAT HE WAS GOING TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE CANOPY. AS HE TURNED DOWNWIND, THE CANOPY OPENED INTO THE AIRFLOW. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ABOUT 0.75 MILES OFF THE END OF RUNWAY 30. THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL, COMPLAINING OF BACK PAIN. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT IDENTIFY ANY MALFUNCTIONS WITH EITHER OF THE CANOPY LATCHES. HE THEN FUNCTIONALLY CHECKED BOTH OF THE CORRESPONDING ENUNCIATOR LIGHTS AND FOUND THAT THEY WERE WORKING PROPERLY. (-23)THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT FOR AIRWEST AIRCRAFT ENGINES. HE STATED THAT HE PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT BY THE CHECKLIST, BOARDED THE AIRCRAFT AND PERFORMED AN ENGINE START. HE CHECKED ALL THE GUAGES AND ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS AND DETERMINED THE AIRCRAFT SAFE FOR FLIGHT. HE PERFORMED THE RUN-UP PROCEDURES, ACCOMPLISHED A PRE-TAKEOFF CHECKLIST AND REQUESTED PERMISSION TO TAKEOFF. AFTER DEPARTURE, AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET THE LEFT CAMOPY LATCH POPPED OPEN. AFTER WINGS WERE LEVEL, THE RIGHT CANOPY LATCH POPPED OPEN PERMITTING THE CANOPY TO FULLY OPEN. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT NO TIME DURING THE PREFLIGHT OF TAKEOFF WAS THERE ANY INDICATION THAT THE CANOPY WAS NOT PROPERLY LATCHED. HOWEVER, FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE AND AVIATION INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO DEFORMATION OF DAMAGE TO LEFT OR RIGHT CANOPY LATCHING MECHANISM OF THE ELECTICAL SWITCHES. THEREFORE, WI TH NO DAMAGE NOTED IN THE CANOPY LATCHING MECHANISM IT APPEARS THAT THE CAONPY LATCHES WERE NOT OVERCENTER AND LOCKED. ## 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 LAX99LA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA264), Aug 18, 1999: Diamond Aircraft Industries Katana DA 20-A1 (N854DF), San Carlos, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The release of the aircraft's left canopy latch following takeoff resulting in the subsequent opening of the canopy in flight. The opened canopy resulted in a degradation of aircraft control and 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. --- 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.