- Date
- August 14, 2016, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Llano, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N212ECPzl-Swidnik PW 6U
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Part(s) separation from AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 93838
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 properly secure the two aft canopy latches during the preflight inspection, which resulted in the canopy separating from the glider during the takeoff roll and substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.
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
According to the glider pilot, while being towed during the takeoff roll, the glider encountered a bump and he heard a loud bang. He reported that he was contacted by radio and informed that the aft canopy had separated from the glider. The pilot recalled that although the glider controllability was normal he communicated with the tow airplane pilot, executed one pattern and landed the glider. The pilot reported that during the preflight inspection he failed to properly close and lock the two canopy latches for the aft canopy. The glider sustained substantial damage to the aft canopy and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that were no mechanical failures or anomalies with any portion of the glider that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Factual narrative
According to the glider pilot, while being towed during the takeoff roll, the glider encountered a bump and he heard a loud bang. He reported that he was contacted by radio and informed that the aft canopy had separated from the glider. The pilot recalled that although the glider controllability was normal he communicated with the tow airplane pilot, executed one pattern and landed the glider. The pilot reported that during the preflight inspection he failed to properly close and lock the two canopy latches for the aft canopy. The glider sustained substantial damage to the aft canopy and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that were no mechanical failures or anomalies with any portion of the glider that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N212EC
- Reported as
- Pzl-Swidnik PW 6U (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 78.03.08
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 897
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cypress Soaring Inc
- Registered owner
- Cypress Soaring Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 19, 2016
- Departed
- 46CN · Llano, CA
- Destination
- 46CN · Llano, CA
- Airport
- 46CN · Crystal, runway 25, 4,500 × 250 ft, dirt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 534.9 total · 13.1 in this make and model · 429.6 as pilot in command · 54.5 in the last 90 days · 19.7 in the last 30 days · 0.1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 99 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KGXA, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 1, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 MB in all.