# Accident 20100411031459A: Czech Aircr SPORTCRUISE, Lagrangeville, NY, April 11, 2010 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 11, 2010, 14:50 local time - Place: Lagrangeville, NY - Airport: Sky Acres - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.7072° N, 73.7378° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7072&lon=-73.7378&mi=10 - Aircraft: N417VR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N417VR-2011-02-25) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER (registry code 060002O, https://openairdocs.org/model/czech-aircraft-works-spol-sro-sportcruiser) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS series (registry code 55572, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CZECH AIRCR SPORTCRUISE - Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot, sport pilot - Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10LA221](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA221) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100411031459A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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. ## 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 ERA10LA221](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA221), Apr 11, 2010: Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro Sportcruiser (N417VR), Millbrook, NY, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control after takeoff while he was distracted by trying to hold shut the unlocked cockpit canopy. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to lock… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.