What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While in the pattern on base leg, the canopy of the aircraft came partially open. The right front latch held the canopy in a partially closed position until final approach, at which point the latch came loose,
And the canopy fully opened. This sudden occurrence caused an abrupt drop in the aircraft's nose
Attitude. As the nose dropped, the nose wheel clipped the grass just before the runway threshold. The
Main landing gear subsequently made hard contact with the runway and collapsed. The aircraft slid on the runway surface before coming to a complete stop. The pilot stated he failed to secure the main rear canopy latch before the flight.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE IN THE PATTERN ON BASE LEG, THE CANOPY OF THE AIRCRAFT CAME PARTIALLY OPEN. THE RIGHT FRONT LATCH HELD THE CANOPY IN A PARTIALLY CLOSED POSITION UNTIL FINAL APPROACH, AT WHICH POINT THE LATCH CAME LOOSE,
AND THE CANOPY FULLY OPENED. THIS SUDDEN OCCURRENCE CAUSED AN ABRUPT DROP IN THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE
ATTITUDE. AS THE NOSE DROPPED, THE NOSE WHEEL CLIPPED THE GRASS JUST BEFORE THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE
MAIN LANDING GEAR SUBSEQUENTLY MADE HARD CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY AND COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT SLID ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE PILOT STATED HE FAILED TO SECURE THE MAIN REAR CANOPY LATCH BEFORE THE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.