- Date
- August 29, 2010, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Afton, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N31939Holt Herbert L Long EZ
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Part(s) separation from AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100829041949A
- Case key
- 77118
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 securely lock the canopy prior to takeoff, which allowed the contents of the cabin to exit the airplane and damage the propeller. Contributing to the severity of the damage was the subsequent fire that ensued.
Findings · 2
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 he performed a normal preflight inspection of his airplane, loaded baggage into the back seat, placed a canvas canopy cover on top of the baggage, and proceeded to take off. The pilot had not securely locked the canopy into the closed position. After accelerating to about 70 mph, the canopy partially opened, and the canvas cover exited the airplane. It impacted the pusher propeller and a blade shattered. The pilot aborted the takeoff but, due to vibrations, the nose wheel broke off before he was able to stop. During the sequence the airplane was substantially damaged by the fire. The pilot opined that a fuel line may have broken due to the severe engine vibration or an impact from the nose wheel.
Factual narrative
The pilot indicated that he performed a normal preflight inspection of his airplane, loaded baggage into the back seat, placed a canvas canopy cover on top of the baggage, and proceeded to takeoff. The pilot had not securely locked the canopy into the closed position. After accelerating to about 70 mph, the canopy partially opened, and the canvas cover exited the airplane. It impacted the pusher propeller and a blade shattered. The pilot aborted the takeoff, but due to vibrations the nose wheel broke off before he was able to stop. During the sequence, the airplane was substantially damaged by the fire. The pilot opined that a fuel line broke due to the severe engine vibration or an impact from the nose wheel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31939
- Reported as
- Holt Herbert L Long EZ
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 475
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Holt Herbert L
- Registered owner
- Holt Herbert L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 1, 2010 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- AFO · Afton, WY
- Destination
- RIF · Richfield, UT
- Airport
- AFO · Afton, runway 34, 7,025 × 75 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
- 76
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 17, 2009
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 644 total · 475 in this make and model · 563 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 565 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.