- Date
- April 20, 2009, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Teresa, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N77JMMarlin Varieze
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 28, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20090420004829A
- Case key
- 73699
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, his failure to latch the canopy prior to takeoff, and his failure to complete the pretakeoff checklist due to his diverted attention.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot said he became distracted while talking to another airplane on the radio. He didn't complete the takeoff checklist and forgot to latch the canopy prior to takeoff. The pilot took off and after climbing about 10 to 30 feet, the canopy popped open. The safety catch stopped the canopy from opening completely. With his left hand, the pilot attempted to close and lock the canopy. Being unsuccessful, he removed his right hand from control stick and grabbed the canopy latch. Control was lost and the airplane impacted the runway, struck a landing light, and skidded off the runway. The landing gear was sheared off, and a canard and a wing were crushed.
Factual narrative
The pilot said that he became distracted while talking to another airplane on the radio. He did not complete the takeoff checklist and forgot to latch the canopy prior to takeoff. The pilot took off and after climbing about 10 to 30 feet, the canopy popped open. The safety catch stopped the canopy from opening completely. With his left hand, the pilot attempted to close and lock the canopy. Being unsuccessful, he removed his right hand from control stick and grabbed the canopy latch. Control was lost and the airplane impacted the runway, struck a landing light, and skidded off the runway. The landing gear was sheared off, and a canard and a wing were crushed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N77JM
- Reported as
- Marlin Varieze
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 308
- Airframe hours
- 301
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John E. Marlin
- Registered owner
- John E. Marlin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 20, 2008
- Departed
- 5T6 · Santa Teresa, NM
- Destination
- PNS · Pensacola, FL
- Airport
- 5T6 · Dona Ana Cnty at Santa Teresa, runway 10, 8,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 469 total · 301 in this make and model · 420 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.