# Accident 20090106000319A: Czawsp SPORTCRUISER, Casa Grande, AZ, January 6, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 6, 2009, 16:45 local time
- Place: Casa Grande, AZ
- Airport: Casa Grande Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.9547° N, 111.7669° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9547&lon=-111.7669&mi=10
- Aircraft: N797BS (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CZAWSP SPORTCRUISER
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX912ULS
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 58 total, 31 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA075) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090106000319A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR09LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA075), Jan 6, 2009: Czech Aircraft Works Sport Cruiser (N797BS), Casa Grande, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to ensure that the canopy was latched prior to takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate guidance in the Pilot Operating Handbook regarding canopy procedures.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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