20110709013239I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Spitaels Walter RV-4 · Portsmouth, NH · July 9, 2011

Date: July 9, 2011 · 09:15 local
Place: Portsmouth, NH
Airport: Pease International Tradeport
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N459PW
Reported as: Spitaels Walter RV-4
Reported engine: Lycoming O-320-B1A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,500 total10 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N459PWRegistered now · Spitaels Walter RV-4S/N 3024 · Built 2010 Airframe modelSpitaels Walter RV-4 Engine modelLycoming O-320-B1AReciprocating

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.

During cruise flight off coast of kittery, the plexiglass canopy opened in flight, damaging the bubble and frame. The frame skirt and retaining mechanism remained attached aft of the cockpit. No injuries to the pilot. The pilot reduced speed and landed at the nearest airport (psm) without further incident. The damaged skirt and frame were removed and the aircraft returned to hampton airfield (7B3) without further incident. Pilot stated that he may not have closed and latched the canopy properly. The pilot was counseled in the preflight, checklist and attention to detail prior to flight.

As the FAA filed it

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT OFF COAST OF KITTERY, THE PLEXIGLASS CANOPY OPENED IN FLIGHT, DAMAGING THE BUBBLE AND FRAME. THE FRAME SKIRT AND RETAINING MECHANISM REMAINED ATTACHED AFT OF THE COCKPIT. NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT. THE PILOT REDUCED SPEED AND LANDED AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT (PSM) WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE DAMAGED SKIRT AND FRAME WERE REMOVED AND THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO HAMPTON AIRFIELD (7B3) WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. PILOT STATED THAT HE MAY NOT HAVE CLOSED AND LATCHED THE CANOPY PROPERLY. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED IN THE PREFLIGHT, CHECKLIST AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL PRIOR TO FLIGHT.