- Date
- January 4, 1992, 16:55 local (22:55 UTC)
- Place
- San Marcos, TX
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N651ACAlvin D. Campbell KR-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920104000089A
- Case key
- 18432
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 modification of the canopy hinge system which resulted in the loss of aircraft control due to an inflight canopy separation.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot/builder of the homebuilt aircraft was on a local flight to demonstrate the aircraft flight characteristics to a prospective builder. While maneuvering, the one piece plexiglass canopy separated from the airframe due to failure of the hinge system, resulting in an inflight loss of control. The pilot had modified the canopy hinge system from the standard two hinge system, to a full length piano wire hinge system. The loss of the canopy in such a short coupled fuselage disturbed the airflow to the point of blanketing the elevators.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N651AC
- Reported as
- Alvin D. Campbell KR-2
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 01
- Airframe hours
- 350
- Engine
- Volkswagen 2180CC, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Alvin D. Campbell
- Registered owner
- Alvin D. Campbell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- 3R5 · New Braunfels, TX
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 413 total · 350 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUS, 33 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.