What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Eon-dra message text: Charleston, SC (chs): privacy data omitted, DA40, chs-aqx, departed runway 21, and once airborne, the pilot reported that the canopy door separated from the aircraft. The aircraft returned to chs and landed runway 3 without incident. POB: unknown, injuries: none, damage: extent unknown. 05/27/2024 0004Z
Pilot statement:
On Sunday may 26, 2024, at approximately 2000 hours I was departing runway 21 at Charleston international airport (kchs) in a Diamond DA40 ng privacy data omitted. Upon departure, I was handed over to Charleston departure and was given the instructions to fly to my first waypoint that I had already programmed in the G1000. This was when I noticed the door open indicator warning on. When I looked back at the rear canopy door directly behind me, I noticed it was cracked open and the lever that is used to secure the door was partially out. Since the aircraft was already on autopilot and fly to its first waypoint, I reached back to attempt to push the lever in to close and lock the door but I was unsuccessful after three attempts. On one attempt the canopy door came open, but I was able to pull it close FAR enough to use the first locking hook (red hook) to hold the door down. At this time, I contact Charleston department, declared an emergency and give the reason for the emergency. As I was turning back to the airport, the door opened and flew off of the aircraft while in flight over a wooded area (general area lat= 32.51.51, lon= 80.06.38). I advised ATC that I was making a 180 to land on runway 03, which I was cleared to land. I was able to taxi off of the runway and taxi back to the ramp with no assistance. Other than the rear canopy door, the aircraft suffered no other damaged. The door was not recovered.
As the FAA filed it
EON-DRA MESSAGE TEXT: CHARLESTON, SC (CHS): ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DA40, CHS-AQX, DEPARTED RUNWAY 21, AND ONCE AIRBORNE, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE CANOPY DOOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO CHS AND LANDED RUNWAY 3 WITHOUT INCIDENT. POB: UNKNOWN, INJURIES: NONE, DAMAGE: EXTENT UNKNOWN. 05/27/2024 0004Z
PILOT STATEMENT:
ON SUNDAY MAY 26, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 HOURS I WAS DEPARTING RUNWAY 21 AT CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KCHS) IN A DIAMOND DA40 NG ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. UPON DEPARTURE, I WAS HANDED OVER TO CHARLESTON DEPARTURE AND WAS GIVEN THE INSTRUCTIONS TO FLY TO MY FIRST WAYPOINT THAT I HAD ALREADY PROGRAMMED IN THE G1000. THIS WAS WHEN I NOTICED THE DOOR OPEN INDICATOR WARNING ON. WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE REAR CANOPY DOOR DIRECTLY BEHIND ME, I NOTICED IT WAS CRACKED OPEN AND THE LEVER THAT IS USED TO SECURE THE DOOR WAS PARTIALLY OUT. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALREADY ON AUTOPILOT AND FLY TO ITS FIRST WAYPOINT, I REACHED BACK TO ATTEMPT TO PUSH THE LEVER IN TO CLOSE AND LOCK THE DOOR BUT I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS. ON ONE ATTEMPT THE CANOPY DOOR CAME OPEN, BUT I WAS ABLE TO PULL IT CLOSE FAR ENOUGH TO USE THE FIRST LOCKING HOOK (RED HOOK) TO HOLD THE DOOR DOWN. AT THIS TIME, I CONTACT CHARLESTON DEPARTMENT, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND GIVE THE REASON FOR THE EMERGENCY. AS I WAS TURNING BACK TO THE AIRPORT, THE DOOR OPENED AND FLEW OFF OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE IN FLIGHT OVER A WOODED AREA (GENERAL AREA LAT= 32.51.51, LON= 80.06.38). I ADVISED ATC THAT I WAS MAKING A 180 TO LAND ON RUNWAY 03, WHICH I WAS CLEARED TO LAND. I WAS ABLE TO TAXI OFF OF THE RUNWAY AND TAXI BACK TO THE RAMP WITH NO ASSISTANCE. OTHER THAN THE REAR CANOPY DOOR, THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED NO OTHER DAMAGED. THE DOOR WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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