# Accident 20130329006369A: Clarence K Andrews ZODIAC 601XL, Collegedale, TN, March 29, 2013 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 29, 2013, 12:00 local time - Place: Collegedale, TN - Damage: Minor damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.0444° N, 85.0200° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0444&lon=-85.0200&mi=10 - Aircraft: N999NA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N999NA) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Clarence K Andrews ZODIAC 601XL (registry code 05624H0, https://openairdocs.org/model/clarence-k-andrews-zodiac-601xl) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Jabiru 3300 (registry code 34801, https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-3300) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CLARENCE K ANDREWS ZODIAC 601XL - Reported engine: JABIRU 3300 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 4,748 total, 2 in this make and model, 34 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA13LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA183) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130329006369A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT RATED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PASSINGER IN THIS ACCIDENT HAD JUST PURCHASED THIS AIRCRAFT IN MARCH. THE PILOT RECORDS COULD NOT BE LOCATED. SUBSEQUENTLY NONE OF HIS FLIGHT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT EMPLOYEE ON DUTY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT HAD LIVED AND FLOWN OUT OF THE COLLEGEDALE AIRPORT FOR A LONG TIME AND HAD PREVIOUSLY OWNED A CESSNA 150 OR 172, HE COULDN'T REMEMBER BUT THAT THEPILOT KEPT IT IN COLLEGEDALE AND TO HIS KNOWLEDGE HAD NOT FLOWN IN SOMETIME. ACCORDING TO PASSINGER, THE PILOT HIRED HIM TO FLY WITH HIM UNTIL HE FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS NEW AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT TOOK THE AIRCRAFT OUT SOLO FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 FLIGHT HOURS AND THEN HE AND THE OWNER WENT OUT ON THEIR FIRST FLIGHT. UPON INITIAL STARTING OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE BATTERY WAS TO LOW TO START THE ENGINE. THE OWNER UNBUCKLED TO GET OUT TO HELP ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL AT THE AIRPORT JUMP OFF HIS AIRCRAFT BUT THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL WAIVED HIM OFF. ACCORDING TO PASSINGER, THE PILOT APPEARED TO REBUCKLE HIS SEAT BELT ACCORDING TO THE PASSINGER, IT APPEARED TO BE BUCKLED BUT HE COULD NOT ACTUALLY SEE THE BUCKLE IN PILOT'S LAP BECAUSE OF THE CENTER CONSOLE DESIGN OF THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUCCESSFULLY JUMP STARTED, THEY HAD AN UNEVENTFUL TAKEOFF AND PROCEEDED TO A PRACTICE AREA EAST OF THE COLLEGEDALE AIRPORT. WHILE FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL IN THE PRACTICE AREA AT APPROXIMATELY 2500 FEET, THE CANOPY CAME OUT OF IT'S LATCHES AND, ACCORDING TO PASSINGER IT MADE AVERY LOUD NOISE. ACCORDING TO PASSINGER, THE PILOT, WHO WAS ON THE CONTROLS WHEN THE CANOPY CAME UNLATCHED, PUT THE AIRCRAFT INTO A NOSE LOW CONDITION. THIS NOSE LOW CONDITION CAUSED THEM TO MOVE FORWARD AGAINST THEIR SEATBELTS AND THEN THE PILOT'S SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD HIM AND HE FELL FURTHER FORWARD WHILE HOLDING ON TO THE CONTROL PUTTING THE AIRCRAFT FURTHER INTO A NOSE LOW SITUATION AND HE DYNAMICALLY ROLLED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO PASSINGER IT ALL HAPPENED IN SECONDS AND HE HAD NO TIME TO REACT. ONCE THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT, THE PASSINGER WAS ABLE TO ARREST THE DIVE CONDITION, RECOVER THE AIRCRAFT, RETURN TO THE COLLEGEDALE AIRPORT AND ALERT AUTHORITIES AS TO THE SITUATION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED AND THE SEAT BELTS REMOVED AND TESTED AND THEY FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. ## 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 ERA13LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA183), Mar 29, 2013: Andrews Zodiac (N999NA), Collegedale, TN, minor damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to ensure that his seatbelt was fastened and the pilots' failure to ensure that the canopy was latched properly, which resulted in the pilot's ejection from the cockpit following… 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.