What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was on the second of 2 local test flights after the aircraft had been down for maintenance for the previous 12 months.
The pilot had to relatch the right canopy latch prior to the second takeoff, as it would not latch properly on the first attempt.
Pilot departed the airfield, turned crosswind, then downwind. At approximately 700 feet AGL the right canopy latch released, followed by the left and nose latch. Canopy was now free floating and the rush of windstream air slowed the aircraft down. Pilot shutdown the engine and attempted to make it to the runway, while holding on to the canopy. Due to the increased drag on the aircraft from the open canopy, the aircraft was unable to make it to the runway and clipped a 30 foot tall tree on the airport boundry. Pilot sustained minor injuries. There was no post event fire
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS ON THE SECOND OF 2 LOCAL TEST FLIGHTS AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE FOR THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS.
THE PILOT HAD TO RELATCH THE RIGHT CANOPY LATCH PRIOR TO THE SECOND TAKEOFF, AS IT WOULD NOT LATCH PROPERLY ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT.
PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRFIELD, TURNED CROSSWIND, THEN DOWNWIND. AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET AGL THE RIGHT CANOPY LATCH RELEASED, FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT AND NOSE LATCH. CANOPY WAS NOW FREE FLOATING AND THE RUSH OF WINDSTREAM AIR SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. PILOT SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY, WHILE HOLDING ON TO THE CANOPY. DUE TO THE INCREASED DRAG ON THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE OPEN CANOPY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY AND CLIPPED A 30 FOOT TALL TREE ON THE AIRPORT BOUNDRY. PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS NO POST EVENT FIRE
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.