What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 24, 2022, at 1845 mountain daylight time, N823MM-A Czech sport aircraft a Sportcruiser on a VFR flight plan, privacy data omitted, controlled flight into terrain, cruise flight, conduct stall series to calibrate new instrument, did not file a VFR flight plan, substantial, minor cuts and bruises, sport pilot, kdna.
During the stall series, the canopy became unlatched. The pilot did not follow the emergency procedure for an unlatched canopy. Instead of maintaining a prescribed airspeed from the emergency procedure checklist which would have allowed normal aircraft control, the pilot intentionally induced a nose down attitude resulting in the aircraft accelerating to redline and incurring a steep rate of descent. Pilot pulled back on the controls immediately prior to contact the ground.
The pilot became task saturated while dealing with the canopy. Pilot competency is an issue with a lack of knowledge of emergency procedures.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 24, 2022, AT 1845 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, N823MM-A CZECH SPORT AIRCRAFT A SPORTCRUISER ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN, CRUISE FLIGHT, CONDUCT STALL SERIES TO CALIBRATE NEW INSTRUMENT, DID NOT FILE A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, SUBSTANTIAL, MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES, SPORT PILOT, KDNA.
DURING THE STALL SERIES, THE CANOPY BECAME UNLATCHED. THE PILOT DID NOT FOLLOW THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE FOR AN UNLATCHED CANOPY. INSTEAD OF MAINTAINING A PRESCRIBED AIRSPEED FROM THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE CHECKLIST WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED NORMAL AIRCRAFT CONTROL, THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY INDUCED A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATING TO REDLINE AND INCURRING A STEEP RATE OF DESCENT. PILOT PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROLS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO CONTACT THE GROUND.
THE PILOT BECAME TASK SATURATED WHILE DEALING WITH THE CANOPY. PILOT COMPETENCY IS AN ISSUE WITH A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.