- Date
- December 9, 2017, 13:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Sacramento, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N227USCzech Sport Aircraft a.s. Sport Cruiser
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Part(s) separation from AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171209022899A
- Case key
- 96460
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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to securely lock the canopy before takeoff.
Findings · 4
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 pilot, during the initial climb, he realized that the canopy was not latched properly and had opened. The pilot attempted to secure the canopy, but he was unsuccessful. He decided to terminate the flight and land; however, his airspeed was too fast during the touchdown and the airplane landed hard. The landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid across the runway. The pilot reported that when the airplane came to rest, he saw that a fuel line had ruptured, and he immediately exited the airplane. The airplane caught fire and was extinguished by first responders. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that this accident could have been prevented if he had checked the canopy after he latched it and noticed the latch didn't catch.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, during the initial climb, he realized that the canopy was not latched properly and had opened in flight. The pilot attempted to secure the canopy, but he was unsuccessful. He decided to terminate the flight and land; however, his airspeed was too fast during the touchdown and the airplane landed hard. The landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid across the runway. The pilot reported that when the airplane came to rest, he saw that a fuel line had ruptured, and he immediately exited the airplane. The airplane caught fire and was extinguished by first responders. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. According to the National Transportation Safety Board's Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot annotated in the Owner Safety Recommendation section, that this accident could have been prevented, "If I manually checked the canopy after I latched it I would have discovered the latch did not catch."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N227US
- Reported as
- Czech Sport Aircraft a.s. Sport Cruiser
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- P1102027
- Built
- 2011
- Airframe hours
- 297.8
- Engine
- Rotax 912 ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 24, 2017
- Departed
- SAC · Sacramento, CA
- Destination
- SAC · Sacramento, CA
- Airport
- SAC · Sacramento Executive, runway 20, 5,503 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Airframe parachute, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- November 2, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 569.7 total · 15.8 in this make and model · 319.1 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 8, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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.