- Date
- August 1, 2010, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Carlsbad, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N525JHHolmgreen John B RV8A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 7, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100801044019A
- Case key
- 77085
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 inadequate pretakeoff checks and failure to maintain control during the takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s diverted attention due to the open canopy.
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 takeoff roll, at the time of rotation, the canopy started to slide rearward. As the pilot attempted to close the canopy the airplane nosed over and the propeller struck the runway, substantially damaging the airplane’s firewall. The pilot further reported that the accident could have been prevented by conducting a “second check of proper canopy closure prior to entering [the] runway.” The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll at the time of rotation, the canopy started to slide rearward. As the pilot attempted to close the canopy, the airplane nosed over and the propeller struck the runway substantially damaging the airplane’s firewall. The pilot further reported that the accident could have been prevented by conducting a “second check of proper canopy closure prior to entering [the] runway.” The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N525JH
- Reported as
- Holmgreen John B RV8A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 81824
- Airframe hours
- 270
- Engine
- Superior XP360 A1C2, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dickson Clark
- Registered owner
- Moller Scott
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 23, 2009 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- CRQ · Carlsbad, CA
- Destination
- O61 · Cameron Park, CA
- Airport
- CRQ · McClellan - Palomar Airport, runway 24, 4,897 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 28, 2009
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 372 total · 108 in this make and model · 274 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- CRQ
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 28, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 736 KB 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.