20100411031459A

On 4/11/2010 at 1450 local time N417VR impacted the ground soon after departing Sky Acres Airport (K44N). Witnesses reported the aircraft low over their homes and recovered articles that were flying out of the cockpit. The witnesses also reported the wings were osscilating and finally the aircraft went into a spin impacting on the property of one of the witnesses. After impact the aircraft was engulfed in flames consuming the cockpit area completly. The pilot was able to get out of the aircraft and crawled toward a puddle of water to put out the flames that burned his lower body. The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft N417VR, a Czech aircraft works sport cruiser classified as a light sport aircraft. Witnesses reported that the pilot was conscious when they reached him and he stated that he did not latch the canopy which was consistant with what the witnesses reported about the canopy being open and things were flying out. The pilot did not maintain control of the aircraft as he attempted to close the canopy in flight. The pilot did have a private pilots certificate but did not have a current medical certificate and was flying on a valid conneticut drivers license. The pilot was medevac'd by NY state police helicopter to westchester airport where he arrived conscious and during the flight had repeated that he failed to latch the canopy.