What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On jan. 06, 2009 at 1645 MST the student pilot took off from cgz runway 05 under clear skies. At approx. 500 AGL the pilot reported that the canopy popped open shortly after takeoff. The student pilot stated that the forward hinged canopy continued to rise higher and that he attempt to keep the canopy closed with his free hand the pilot elected to return to the field at approx. the midfield point. He made an off-runway landing where the left wing impacted a tree causing substantial damage to the wing. The impact to the wing pivoted the aircraft 90 degrees about the impact point, where it came to rest. The pilot (sole occupant) was only slightly injured. Witness statements indicated that the aircraft was at a nose high attitude and slow airspeed prior to the landing. All of the witnesses interviewed confirmed that the canopy was slightly open. ASI on the scene found both canopy latches in the locked position. The cockpit and exterior latch handles were also in the locked position. The pilot stated that after take-off approx 500’ the canopy came slightly open. The pilot then stated that the canopy continued to open further, but was unable to close it because there are no grab handles on the canopy.
As the FAA filed it
ON JAN. 06, 2009 AT 1645 MST THE STUDENT PILOT TOOK OFF FROM CGZ RUNWAY 05 UNDER CLEAR SKIES. AT APPROX. 500 AGL THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE CANOPY POPPED OPEN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT THE FORWARD HINGED CANOPY CONTINUED TO RISE HIGHER AND THAT HE ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE CANOPY CLOSED WITH HIS FREE HAND THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD AT APPROX. THE MIDFIELD POINT. HE MADE AN OFF-RUNWAY LANDING WHERE THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A TREE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WING. THE IMPACT TO THE WING PIVOTED THE AIRCRAFT 90 DEGREES ABOUT THE IMPACT POINT, WHERE IT CAME TO REST. THE PILOT (SOLE OCCUPANT) WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY INJURED. WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AND SLOW AIRSPEED PRIOR TO THE LANDING. ALL OF THE WITNESSES INTERVIEWED CONFIRMED THAT THE CANOPY WAS SLIGHTLY OPEN. ASI ON THE SCENE FOUND BOTH CANOPY LATCHES IN THE LOCKED POSITION. THE COCKPIT AND EXTERIOR LATCH HANDLES WERE ALSO IN THE LOCKED POSITION. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKE-OFF APPROX 500’ THE CANOPY CAME SLIGHTLY OPEN. THE PILOT THEN STATED THAT THE CANOPY CONTINUED TO OPEN FURTHER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE IT BECAUSE THERE ARE NO GRAB HANDLES ON THE CANOPY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.