20030709016169I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Amtr T-18 · Reno, NV · July 9, 2003

Date: July 9, 2003 · 06:52 local
Place: Reno, NV
Airport: Reno/Tahoe International Airport
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N139G
Reported as: Amtr T18
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,570 total32 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N139GRegistered now · Griffith-Thorp T-18S/N 375 · Built 1979 Airframe modelGriffith-Thorp T-18 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

(-23) On July 9, 2003, 0632 hours PDT, while in-flight from Reno, NV to truckee, CA and descending into truckee, CA, griffith-thorp T-18, N139G, had the canopy separate from this experimental homebuilt airframe. The canopy struck the left side of the horizontal stabilator, causing minor damage. The owner/pilot stated that the top forward canopy latch must have failed. He said the airplane had a mild shudder, but still flew ok, even with the stabilator damage. He elected to return to Reno, NV and was able to land without further incident. Emergency equipment was called out. A malfunction or defect report is being submitted on the canopy failure. The canopy has not been found. There were no injuries, ELT did not activate, and no fires. Flight plan was not filed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 9, 2003, 0632 HOURS PDT, WHILE IN-FLIGHT FROM RENO, NV TO TRUCKEE, CA AND DESCENDING INTO TRUCKEE, CA, GRIFFITH-THORP T-18, N139G, HAD THE CANOPY SEPARATE FROM THIS EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRFRAME. THE CANOPY STRUCK THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR, CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. THE OWNER/PILOT STATED THAT THE TOP FORWARD CANOPY LATCH MUST HAVE FAILED. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE HAD A MILD SHUDDER, BUT STILL FLEW OK, EVEN WITH THE STABILATOR DAMAGE. HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO RENO, NV AND WAS ABLE TO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT WAS CALLED OUT. A MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT REPORT IS BEING SUBMITTED ON THE CANOPY FAILURE. THE CANOPY HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, ELT DID NOT ACTIVATE, AND NO FIRES. FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED.