- Date
- November 23, 2019, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lamar, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N595SCCzech Aircraft Works Spol Sro Sportscruiser
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191123019289A
- Case key
- 100622
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 distraction due to an open canopy during final approach, which resulted in a loss of altitude and ground impact short of the runway.
Findings · 3
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 the approach, the canopy opened, and he was distracted "because it was like a tornado in the plane." He attempted to hold the canopy closed, and in the confusion, the airplane impacted the ground short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. According to Federal Aviation Administration inspectors who examined the airplane after the accident, no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies were found with the canopy handle, latch, or catch.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during approach the canopy opened, and he was distracted "because it was like a tornado in the plane." He attempted to hold the canopy closed and in the confusion the airplane impacted the ground short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. According to FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors that examined the airplane after the accident, no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies were found with the canopy handle, latch, or the catch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N595SC
- Reported as
- Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro Sportscruiser
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 06SC002
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 920
- Engine
- Rotax 912S, 97 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 19, 2019
- Departed
- ALS · Alamosa, CO
- Destination
- LAA · Lamar, CO
- Airport
- LAA · Lamar Muni, runway 26, 5,001 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Airframe parachute, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 76
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 19, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 542 total · 29 in this make and model · 460 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Observed at
- KLAA
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.