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20080919849499I

Incident · No damage
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FAA incident report · Aerovd L29 · Virginia Beach, VA · September 19, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
September 19, 2008 · 18:10 local
Place
Virginia Beach, VA
Airport
Oceana Nas /Apollo Soucek Fiel
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N129DH
Reported as
Aerovd L29
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,600 total150 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days
N129DHRegistration cancelled Jan 31, 2020 · Aerovodochody L-29 DELFINS/N 591324 · Built 1965Airframe modelAerovodochody L-29 DELFINEngine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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 Friday, September 19, 2008, at approximately 1810 hrs., aerovodochody L-29, N129DH, was on the takeoff roll on runway 5L at nas ocena (ntu). Witness accounts noted when the aircraft rotated for takeoff, the forward canopy (pilot position) was observed to have departed over the top of the aircraft. The pilot was observed to continue the initial climb, then immediately entered a left hand pattern for runway 5L at ntu. During this time, the pilot contacted Oceana ATC and requested ARFF. The aircraft made an uneventful landing and taxiied back to the ramp. Investigation revealed there was no damage to the aircraft. The canopy was recovered by ARFF and maintenance personnel determined it was serviceable, sustaining only scratch’s to the frame and plexiglas. In an interview with the pilot, he stated he was conducting a “media flight” with one passenger and apparently failed to ensure the canopy was completely secured in the locked position prior to takeoff. He stated he may have been distracted during his passenger brief as the person was a double amputee. The aircraft is certificated experimental/ exhibition.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2008, AT APPROXIMATELY 1810 HRS., AEROVODOCHODY L-29, N129DH, WAS ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 5L AT NAS OCENA (NTU). WITNESS ACCOUNTS NOTED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED FOR TAKEOFF, THE FORWARD CANOPY (PILOT POSITION) WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE DEPARTED OVER THE TOP OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED TO CONTINUE THE INITIAL CLIMB, THEN IMMEDIATELY ENTERED A LEFT HAND PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 5L AT NTU. DURING THIS TIME, THE PILOT CONTACTED OCEANA ATC AND REQUESTED ARFF. THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING AND TAXIIED BACK TO THE RAMP. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE CANOPY WAS RECOVERED BY ARFF AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL DETERMINED IT WAS SERVICEABLE, SUSTAINING ONLY SCRATCH’S TO THE FRAME AND PLEXIGLAS. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED HE WAS CONDUCTING A “MEDIA FLIGHT” WITH ONE PASSENGER AND APPARENTLY FAILED TO ENSURE THE CANOPY WAS COMPLETELY SECURED IN THE LOCKED POSITION PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. HE STATED HE MAY HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED DURING HIS PASSENGER BRIEF AS THE PERSON WAS A DOUBLE AMPUTEE. THE AIRCRAFT IS CERTIFICATED EXPERIMENTAL/ EXHIBITION.