- Date
- October 11, 2019, 12:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Gastonia, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N235JHZenith Zenith 601XLB
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191011020649A
- Case key
- 100444
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 latch the canopy before departure, which resulted in the canopy opening and the subsequent loss of airplane control.
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
The pilot reported that, during takeoff, as the airplane lifted off, the canopy opened. Subsequently, the airplane descended and landed hard, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that, during a postaccident examination of the airplane about a week after the accident, the canopy latches appeared to be in good condition and operated fine. The pilot added as a safety recommendation to "double check the canopy latch."
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during takeoff, as the airplane departed the ground, the canopy opened, the airplane landed hard back on the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that, during a postaccident examination, the canopy latches appeared to be in good condition. He added that the canopy latch handle was located in the middle of the cockpit and operated fine. The pilot added as a safety recommendation to double check the canopy latch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N235JH
- Reported as
- Zenith Zenith 601XLB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6-4287
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 190
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 30, 2019
- Departed
- AKH · Gastonia, NC
- Destination
- AKH · Gastonia, NC
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- AKH · Gastonia Muni, runway 21, 3,770 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Angle of attack indicator, Electronic multifunction display, Handheld GPS, ADS-B
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
- 84
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- August 14, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- KAKH
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 12, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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.