What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Shortly after liftoff pilot's canopy was observed to come open. Pilot continued the takeoff, and attempted to close the canopy. Pilot stated that after initially achieving approximately 500' AGL, he was unable to achieve a nose-up attitude with the aircraft. Pilot believes after the fact that as he reached for the canopy handle his seat slid forward and subsequently inhibited his ability to move the stick to an aft, or nose-up position (control stick threads through a prefabricated slot in the seat and the seat is normally in a fixed position). As the aircraft subsequently became nose down, the pilot elected to land the aircraft off the end of the runway.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF PILOT'S CANOPY WAS OBSERVED TO COME OPEN. PILOT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF, AND ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE CANOPY. PILOT STATED THAT AFTER INITIALLY ACHIEVING APPROXIMATELY 500' AGL, HE WAS UNABLE TO ACHIEVE A NOSE-UP ATTITUDE WITH THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT BELIEVES AFTER THE FACT THAT AS HE REACHED FOR THE CANOPY HANDLE HIS SEAT SLID FORWARD AND SUBSEQUENTLY INHIBITED HIS ABILITY TO MOVE THE STICK TO AN AFT, OR NOSE-UP POSITION (CONTROL STICK THREADS THROUGH A PREFABRICATED SLOT IN THE SEAT AND THE SEAT IS NORMALLY IN A FIXED POSITION). AS THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME NOSE DOWN, THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.