What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Experimental homebuilt aircraft was certificated on 7-31-2005 and had flown approximately 8 hours since then. According to pilot statement: aircraft took off on runway 28 and at approximately 500 feet when making a left turn to crosswind the canopy popped open and aircraft tried to roll over. Pilot grabbed canopy and tried to close it. He then turned back toward runway 10 and attempted to land but was having difficulty trying to fly, hold the canopy, and work the throttle. The a/c hit runway hard about a 1/4 of the way down and bounced back into the air. Pilot stated he lost grip on canopy at that point and a/c veered off to the left of runway and impacted the raised roadbed going to the AWOS station, splintering the prop, shearing off the nose and main gear, and coming to rest upright approx 100 feet from road.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT WAS CERTIFICATED ON 7-31-2005 AND HAD FLOWN APPROXIMATELY 8 HOURS SINCE THEN. ACCORDING TO PILOT STATEMENT: AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 28 AND AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN TO CROSSWIND THE CANOPY POPPED OPEN AND AIRCRAFT TRIED TO ROLL OVER. PILOT GRABBED CANOPY AND TRIED TO CLOSE IT. HE THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD RUNWAY 10 AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND BUT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY TRYING TO FLY, HOLD THE CANOPY, AND WORK THE THROTTLE. THE A/C HIT RUNWAY HARD ABOUT A 1/4 OF THE WAY DOWN AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. PILOT STATED HE LOST GRIP ON CANOPY AT THAT POINT AND A/C VEERED OFF TO THE LEFT OF RUNWAY AND IMPACTED THE RAISED ROADBED GOING TO THE AWOS STATION, SPLINTERING THE PROP, SHEARING OFF THE NOSE AND MAIN GEAR, AND COMING TO REST UPRIGHT APPROX 100 FEET FROM ROAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.