What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was participating in an international aerobatic club sponsored three day aerobatic camp.
The pilot was starting his third practice flight of the second day of the camp. Flights generally last about 20 minutes on average.
Preflight was completed and the aircraft had no mechanical issues. Pilot was cleared by tower for takeoff on runway 29, a few seconds into the 2900 RPM takeoff acceleration the pilot noticed the canopy lift and separate to the right side of the aircraft causing him to abruptly shift head and shoulders to dodge the canopy as it departed the aircraft. The aircraft veered left towards the grass. The pilot quickly decided to "ride it out" straight ahead to avoid ground looping the aircraft. Pilot maintained aft elevator and appropriate rudder to maintain directional control. The aircraft struck a runway sign which he did not see because of limited forward visibility. The aircraft came to a stop in the grass with the engine idling. Pilot shut down engine and exited the aircraft.
The three aircraft propeller blades were broken off near mid-length, right wheel pant was shattered, and left wing lower skin was punctured. The remnants of the departed shattered canopy and bent canopy frame were on the runway.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS PARTICIPATING IN AN INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB SPONSORED THREE DAY AEROBATIC CAMP.
THE PILOT WAS STARTING HIS THIRD PRACTICE FLIGHT OF THE SECOND DAY OF THE CAMP. FLIGHTS GENERALLY LAST ABOUT 20 MINUTES ON AVERAGE.
PREFLIGHT WAS COMPLETED AND THE AIRCRAFT HAD NO MECHANICAL ISSUES. PILOT WAS CLEARED BY TOWER FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 29, A FEW SECONDS INTO THE 2900 RPM TAKEOFF ACCELERATION THE PILOT NOTICED THE CANOPY LIFT AND SEPARATE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING HIM TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT HEAD AND SHOULDERS TO DODGE THE CANOPY AS IT DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT TOWARDS THE GRASS. THE PILOT QUICKLY DECIDED TO "RIDE IT OUT" STRAIGHT AHEAD TO AVOID GROUND LOOPING THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT MAINTAINED AFT ELEVATOR AND APPROPRIATE RUDDER TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A RUNWAY SIGN WHICH HE DID NOT SEE BECAUSE OF LIMITED FORWARD VISIBILITY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP IN THE GRASS WITH THE ENGINE IDLING. PILOT SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT.
THE THREE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER BLADES WERE BROKEN OFF NEAR MID-LENGTH, RIGHT WHEEL PANT WAS SHATTERED, AND LEFT WING LOWER SKIN WAS PUNCTURED. THE REMNANTS OF THE DEPARTED SHATTERED CANOPY AND BENT CANOPY FRAME WERE ON THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.