20180413003649A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Page Russell L LONG-EZ · Wakefield, VA · April 13, 2018

Date: April 13, 2018 · 13:45 local
Place: Wakefield, VA
Airport: Wakefield Municipal
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N27RP
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA18CA215
Reported as: Page Russell L LONG-EZ
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,300 total900 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N27RPRegistration cancelled Oct 30, 2021 · Page Russell L LONG-EZS/N 1400 Airframe modelPage Russell L LONG-EZ Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The pilot stated upon departing runway 20 at Wakefield Municipal Airport (akq)and while in the climb, the aircraft's canopy opened. This occurred at approximately 200 feet AGL. The pilot attempted to hold the canopy down but was unable. He continued in the pattern to return to land on runway 20. He held his hand over his face to attempt to block the wind. While on final, he stated it was difficult to distinguish his height above the ground because of the wind. This resulted in the aircraft approaching the runway at too low of an altitude causing the aircraft to strike the airport's perimeter fence. The impact from the fence caused the landing gear to sheer off the aircraft. The airplane then landed on the runway causing further damage to the wings, belly, and propeller. No injuries to the pilot.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED UPON DEPARTING RUNWAY 20 AT WAKEFIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (AKQ)AND WHILE IN THE CLIMB, THE AIRCRAFT'S CANOPY OPENED. THIS OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO HOLD THE CANOPY DOWN BUT WAS UNABLE. HE CONTINUED IN THE PATTERN TO RETURN TO LAND ON RUNWAY 20. HE HELD HIS HAND OVER HIS FACE TO ATTEMPT TO BLOCK THE WIND. WHILE ON FINAL, HE STATED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH HIS HEIGHT ABOVE THE GROUND BECAUSE OF THE WIND. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHING THE RUNWAY AT TOO LOW OF AN ALTITUDE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO STRIKE THE AIRPORT'S PERIMETER FENCE. THE IMPACT FROM THE FENCE CAUSED THE LANDING GEAR TO SHEER OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRPLANE THEN LANDED ON THE RUNWAY CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, BELLY, AND PROPELLER. NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB GAA18CA215Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWakefield, VAThe pilot’s failure to secure the canopy before flight, which resulted in the airplane striking a fence during the approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to follow the Before Takeoff checklist and In-flight Canopy Opening checklist…Apr 13, 2018 · Substantial damage