20100801044019A

On 8-1-2010 at approximately 1630 hours local time, dickson clark took off from runway 24 at Palomar airport in carlsbad, California. Clark, a private pilot, was flying an experimental vans RV-8A (tricycle gear) tail number N525JH.moments after clark accelerated on the takeoff roll, he noticed that the canopy was not latched. Clark then left the throttle at full power, and tried to use his left hand to try and slide the canopy forward. As clark worked the canopy problem, he was already rotated and beginning a climb. Clark continued pushing the canopy forward with his left hand and was flying the plane with his right hand on the control stick. As clark gave the canopy a push with his left hand it created a sort of "knee-jerk" reaction where his right hand (which is on the control stick) also went forward. This forward stick movement created a sudden pitching moment down, and the aircraft left approximately 20' feet AGL, and went back to the runway striking the nose of the aircraft and the nose landing gear collapsed. Thereafter, the aircraft slid down the end of runway 24, and clark continued to apply braking until the aircraft came to a stop. Clark was not injured and was met at the aircraft by the fire crew. The aircraft was towed off the runway and taken to leading edge aviation on the field. Later it was determined by the mechanics that there was firewall damage and the firewall would have to be replaced. This damage was created by the engine and engine mount being slammed into the runway thereby pushing everything aft and creating the firewall damage.