What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was 22 hours into phase I of the 40 hour test flight phase of this experimental amateur-built aircraft. The aircraft was operated in the geographical area approved as described in the experimental operating limitations. Pilot installed a post certification modification to the forward hinge mechanism on the canopy. The hinge modification included a quick release mechanism which would rapidly release 4 clevis pins to jettison the canopy in the event an in flight egress was necessary. The pilot failed to consider the aerodynamic effects of the canopy during an ejection of it. The canopy appears to have been purposely jettisoned and struck the pilot in the head causing an immediate fatal injury. Pilot was wearing a parachute during this flight which was deployed however the pilot was still buckled into the aircraft with a five point harness. It is suspected that the parachute was not deployed deliberately rather it was deployed by other factors after the pilot was deceased. According to ATC data, it appears that the aircraft was operating at slow airspeeds and may have entered into a deep stall that was unrecoverable which may have caused the pilot to initiate the jettison of the canopy.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS 22 HOURS INTO PHASE I OF THE 40 HOUR TEST FLIGHT PHASE OF THIS EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED IN THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA APPROVED AS DESCRIBED IN THE EXPERIMENTAL OPERATING LIMITATIONS. PILOT INSTALLED A POST CERTIFICATION MODIFICATION TO THE FORWARD HINGE MECHANISM ON THE CANOPY. THE HINGE MODIFICATION INCLUDED A QUICK RELEASE MECHANISM WHICH WOULD RAPIDLY RELEASE 4 CLEVIS PINS TO JETTISON THE CANOPY IN THE EVENT AN IN FLIGHT EGRESS WAS NECESSARY. THE PILOT FAILED TO CONSIDER THE AERODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF THE CANOPY DURING AN EJECTION OF IT. THE CANOPY APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PURPOSELY JETTISONED AND STRUCK THE PILOT IN THE HEAD CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE FATAL INJURY. PILOT WAS WEARING A PARACHUTE DURING THIS FLIGHT WHICH WAS DEPLOYED HOWEVER THE PILOT WAS STILL BUCKLED INTO THE AIRCRAFT WITH A FIVE POINT HARNESS. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE PARACHUTE WAS NOT DEPLOYED DELIBERATELY RATHER IT WAS DEPLOYED BY OTHER FACTORS AFTER THE PILOT WAS DECEASED. ACCORDING TO ATC DATA, IT APPEARS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING AT SLOW AIRSPEEDS AND MAY HAVE ENTERED INTO A DEEP STALL THAT WAS UNRECOVERABLE WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED THE PILOT TO INITIATE THE JETTISON OF THE CANOPY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.