# NTSB GAA16LA032: Philip D Anderson 601, N467SD, Hemet, CA, October 27, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 27, 2015, 11:15 local (18:15 UTC) - Place: Hemet, CA - Coordinates: 33.73389, -117.022499 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7339&lon=-117.0225&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report August 1, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 92246 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16LA032 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92246/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92246 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16LA032 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain the airplane's descent rate during a precautionary landing, which resulted in hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to secure the canopy before takeoff, which precipitated the precautionary landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Philip D Anderson 601XL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05631VO), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Philip D Anderson 601XL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=05631VO), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Philip D Anderson 601XL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=05631VO), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) (defining event); cases with it: [Philip D Anderson 601XL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=05631VO), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Philip D Anderson 601XL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=05631VO), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of visual reference](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402); cases with it: [Philip D Anderson 601XL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402/sequence.md?model=05631VO), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Philip D Anderson 601XL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05631VO), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The sport pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. The pilot reported that, after completing the before takeoff checks, he initiated the takeoff roll, rotated the airplane, and then climbed it to about 80 ft above ground level, at which point the canopy opened. The canopy began "bobbing up and down," so the pilot aborted the takeoff and landed on the remaining available runway. The pilot reported that he "lost perspective" during landing and that the airplane impacted the runway hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot further reported that he taxied to the runway with the canopy unsecured and that he could not recall if he secured the two latches before takeoff or if the "mental checklist" he used included securing the canopy. Postaccident photographs of the canopy latching mechanism showed that the mechanism appeared undamaged and functional; therefore, it is likely the pilot did not secure the canopy before takeoff. ## Factual narrative On October 27, 2015, about 1311 Pacific daylight time, a Zodiac 601XL airplane, N467SD, impacted the runway during an aborted takeoff at the Hemet-Ryan Airport (HMT), Hemet, California. The solo sport pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provision of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. According to the pilot, after completing the before takeoff checks, he initiated the takeoff roll, rotated and climbed to about 80 feet above ground level (AGL) when the canopy opened. He reported that the canopy began "bobbing up and down" as he aborted the takeoff and landed on the remaining portion of the runway he had just departed. As the pilot descended to the runway with canopy flapping up and down, he reported that he, "lost perspective" and the airplane impacted the runway hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. When asked by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) if he explicitly recalled securing the two latches that secure the canopy, prior to takeoff, the pilot replied that he could not recall. The pilot reported that he used a checklist to perform the before takeoff checks, but could not recall if the checklist explicitly called for securing the canopy. At the time of the conversation the pilot did not have access to the checklist. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) that examined the airplane at the accident site and conducted the initial interview with the pilot reported that the pilot remarked that his canopy was intentionally unlocked and open, in order to allow fresh and cool air into the flight deck while he was taxiing to the take-off position and couldn't recall if he had locked the canopy prior to beginning the take-off roll. During the interview, the FAA ASI asked the pilot, "If he utilized a checklist that had the canopy as one of the checklist items, the pilot stated that he used a mental checklist." Photographs provided by the FAA showed that the canopy latches and door handle used to secure the canopy appeared undamaged and functional. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N467SD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N467SD), registered now, S/N 001, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PHILIP D ANDERSON 601 (XL) - Registry model: [Philip D Anderson 601XL](https://openairdocs.org/model/philip-d-anderson-601xl) (registry code 05631VO) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Jabiru 3300A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-3300a) (registry code 34804, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 001 - Year built: 2012 - Airframe hours: 183.3 - Engines: Jabiru 3300A 120 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Smith, Bracken K. and Smith, Elizabeth B. - Registered owner: Smith, Bracken K. and Smith, Elizabeth B. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 9, 2015, 6 hours before - Departed: HMT, Hemet, CA - Destination: REI, Redlands, CA - Airport: HMT, Hemet-Ryan, runway 23, 4,314 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: serious; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review October 27, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 172 total, 85 in this make and model, 135 as pilot in command, 1.5 in the last 90 days, 1.5 in the last 30 days, 1.5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KRIV, 15 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20151027019259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151027019259A), Oct 27, 2015: Philip D Anderson 601XL, Hemet, CA, Destroyed. During take-off from runway 28 at the Hemet, CA airport (hmt), the canopy popped open and began ?flopping? Up and down due to not being placed in lock position… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 7, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92246. 3.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437342&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437343&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437346&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.