# Incident 20130508006669I: David C Morris RV-8, Chandler, AZ, May 8, 2013

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 8, 2013, 13:55 local time
- Place: Chandler, AZ
- Airport: Chandler Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.2691° N, 111.8111° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at CHANDLER MUNI (CHD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2691&lon=-111.8111&mi=10
- Aircraft: N96DM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DAVID C MORRIS RV-8
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 24,687 total, 12 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130508006669I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

FOLLOWING TAKEOFF, PILOT PROCEEDED ON RUNWAY HEADING UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE SOUTH OF THE RUNWAY WHEN THE TOWER CLEARED THE PILOT TO TURN LEFT. AS THE PILOT TURNED LEFT, HE INCREASED HIS CLIMB SPEED TO APPROXIMATELY 150 MPH. DURING THE CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 2800 MSL, THE PILOT NOTED BOTH DYNON D100 AND D180 SCREENS ILLUMINATE WITH A ?CAUTION CANOPY UNLOCKED? WARNING. PILOT THEN REACHED FOR THE CANOPY LEVER BUT FAILED TO REACH IT BEFORE THE CANOPY TORE OFF THE AIRCRAFT.

PILOT LOST HIS HEADSET AND EYEGLASSES DUE TO THE WIND. PILOT ALSO EXPERIENCED A CUT ON HIS EAR, A KNOT ON THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD AND FELT ?DAZED?. PILOT PROCEEDED TO VERIFY THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE OK BUT NOTED HE HAD NO COMMUNICATIONS DUE TO THE LOSS OF HIS HEADSET. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT COULD NOT SEE THE INSTRUMENTS AND WAS HAVING VISION PROBLEMS DUE TO HIS GLASSES BEING BLOWN OFF.

PILOT THEN PROCEEDED TO LAND BACK AT CHD WITH NO FURTHER EVENTS TAKING PLACE.

INSPECTORS FROM THE SCOTTSDALE FSDO REVIEWED THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS, PILOTS WRITTEN STATEMENT, INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND THE DETACHED CANOPY. THE INSPECTION INCLUDED OPERATIONALLY CHECKING THE CANOPY LOCKED/UNLOCKED INDICATING SYSTEM WHICH APPEARED TO FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. IT WAS NOTED THAT SEVERAL OF THE JAM NUTS ON THE CANOPY LOCK PINS WERE LOOSE. PILOT STATED THAT THESE WERE TIGHT BEFORE THE FLIGHT. NO DAMAGE ON THE AIRFRAME SIDE OF THE CANOPY LOCKING SYSTEMS WAS NOTED (SIGNS OF LOCK PINS TEARING THROUGH OR GOUGING, ETC). NO FURTHER DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE CANOPY LOCKING SYSTEM.

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.

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