20090420004829A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr VARIEZE · Santa Teresa, NM · April 20, 2009

Date: April 20, 2009 · 15:51 local
Place: Santa Teresa, NM
Airport: Dona Ana County At Santa Teres
Phase of flight: Takeoff
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N77JM
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09CA258
Reported as: Amtr Varieze
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 500 total350 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N77JMRegistered now · Marlin John E VARIEZES/N 308 · Built 1982 Airframe modelMarlin John E VARIEZE Engine modelContinental C85 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 04/20/2009, at approximately 1555 MDT, N77JM, an experimental homebuilt Varieze, departed Santa Teresa municipal airport (K5T6) enroute to pensacola, FL. After rotation, approximately 20-30 feet in the air, the canopy popped open. At that time, the pilot grabbed the latch with his left hand and tried to hold it in place. Knowing that he could not secure the canopy with the left hand, he removed his right hand from the controls and attempted to secure the canopy. Immediately when his hand left the controls, he lost control of the aircraft and hit the runway. The aircraft slid the runway and came to rest off the left side in the dirt. The pilot did not receive any injuries; the aircraft received substantial damage to the gear, canard, wing and propeller. Investigation revealed that on the before takeoff checklist, the pilot became distracted talking on the radio and did not finish the checklist. Pilot admits that he did not secure the canopy prior to takeoff.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 04/20/2009, AT APPROXIMATELY 1555 MDT, N77JM, AN EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT VARIEZE, DEPARTED SANTA TERESA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (K5T6) ENROUTE TO PENSACOLA, FL. AFTER ROTATION, APPROXIMATELY 20-30 FEET IN THE AIR, THE CANOPY POPPED OPEN. AT THAT TIME, THE PILOT GRABBED THE LATCH WITH HIS LEFT HAND AND TRIED TO HOLD IT IN PLACE. KNOWING THAT HE COULD NOT SECURE THE CANOPY WITH THE LEFT HAND, HE REMOVED HIS RIGHT HAND FROM THE CONTROLS AND ATTEMPTED TO SECURE THE CANOPY. IMMEDIATELY WHEN HIS HAND LEFT THE CONTROLS, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HIT THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SLID THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST OFF THE LEFT SIDE IN THE DIRT. THE PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY INJURIES; THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE GEAR, CANARD, WING AND PROPELLER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ON THE BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST, THE PILOT BECAME DISTRACTED TALKING ON THE RADIO AND DID NOT FINISH THE CHECKLIST. PILOT ADMITS THAT HE DID NOT SECURE THE CANOPY PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN09CA258Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSanta Teresa, NMThe pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, his failure to latch the canopy prior to takeoff, and his failure to complete the pretakeoff checklist due to his diverted attention.Apr 20, 2009 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N77JM · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19821111066029ITo Aborted (Fixed Wing) · Chino, CABecame airborne on fast taxi practice. Aborted and bounced on touchdown. Lost control, ran off runway, overturned.Nov 11, 1982 · Substantial damage