- Date
- September 5, 2010, 14:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Moriarty, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4664Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100905045309A
- Case key
- 77312
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 inadvertent opening of the cockpit canopy for undetermined reasons.
Findings · 2
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
While being towed aloft behind an airplane, the glider’s cockpit canopy inadvertently opened. The glider pilot released from tow and attempted to close the canopy to no avail. The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern for landing about 20 minutes later. While on final approach, the pilot was unable to activate the dive brakes to shorten the landing distance due to her left hand being used to hold the canopy down. The glider crossed the runway threshold around 300 feet above ground level, and continued past the end of the runway for approximately one mile before she performed an off-airport landing. During landing the glider’s right wing impacted a fence post, resulting in structural damage. The reason for the inadvertent canopy opening was not determined.
Factual narrative
While being towed aloft behind an airplane, the single-seat glider’s cockpit canopy inadvertently opened. The glider pilot released from tow and attempted to close the canopy to no avail. Around 20 minutes later the pilot entered the airport traffic pattern for landing. While on final approach, the pilot was unable to activate the dive brakes to shorten the landing distance due to her left hand being used to hold the canopy down. The glider crossed the runway threshold around 300 feet above ground level, and continued past the end of the runway for approximately a mile before an off airport landing was performed. During landing the glider’s right wing impacted a fence post, resulting in structural damage to the aircraft. The glider came to rest in an upright position and the pilot was able to exit unassisted. The reason for the inadvertent canopy opening was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4664
- Reported as
- Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 172
- Airframe hours
- 1,869
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hawkins Tim J
- Registered owner
- Hawkins Tim J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 0E0 · Moriarty, NM
- Destination
- 0E0 · Moriarty, NM
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
- 53
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2010
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 61 total · 1 in this make and model · 22 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.50 inHg
- Observed at
- 0E0, 1 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.