- Date
- August 15, 2010, 13:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- Trenton, MO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N50BUOliver A Bruce RV6-A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Kansas City FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100815043979A
- Case key
- 76976
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 canopy opening shortly after takeoff due to an inadequate repair and subsequent failure of the canopy latch, resulting in a emergency landing. Contributing to the accident was the lack of available runway remaining for the forced landing.
Findings · 3
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 reported that the cockpit canopy latch broke at the conclusion of the previous flight. The latch was welded and reinstalled prior to the accident flight. After takeoff, the repaired canopy latch failed as the airplane climbed through 50 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot attempted to land on the remaining runway due to the possibility of the canopy separating and striking the empennage in flight. However, after landing, he was unable to stop on the remaining runway and the airplane struck a ditch during the runway overrun. The nose landing gear subsequently collapsed and the airplane nosed over.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the cockpit canopy latch had broken at the conclusion of the previous flight. The latch was welded and reinstalled prior to the accident flight. After takeoff, the repaired canopy latch failed as the airplane climbed through 50 feet above ground level. The pilot attempted to land on the remaining runway due to the possibility of the canopy separating and striking the empennage in flight. However, he was unable to stop on the remaining runway and the airplane struck a ditch during the runway excursion. The nose landing gear subsequently collapsed and the airplane nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50BU
- Reported as
- Oliver A Bruce RV6-A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 24441
- Airframe hours
- 771
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 23, 2010
- Departed
- TRX · Trenton, MO
- Destination
- IKV · Ankeny, IA
- Airport
- TRX · Trenton Muni, runway 36, 4,307 × 75 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
- 72
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 18, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 19 in this make and model · 750 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- IRK, 48 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.