- Date
- March 10, 2013, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Jose, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N811EVEvektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 24, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130310005019A
- Case key
- 86391
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 maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to adequately latch 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
The pilot reported that, as the airplane was about 10 feet above the runway during takeoff, the cockpit canopy began to open and rotate forward. The pilot reached up with his right hand to grab the canopy and hold it down. He decided to abort the takeoff and pointed the airplane back toward the runway. He could not manipulate the throttle with one hand on the stick and the other on the canopy, and the airplane landed at a groundspeed of about 55 knots. During the landing roll, the airplane departed the runway, substantially damaging the left wing root and buckling the fuselage behind the firewall. Postaccident examination of the canopy locking mechanism revealed that the canopy latch and handle were functioning properly.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was practicing stop-and-go landings when during the second takeoff, as the airplane was about 10 feet above the runway, the cockpit canopy began to open up and rotate forward. The pilot reached up with his right hand to the canopy handle, located above his head, to hold the canopy down. He decided to abort the takeoff and pointed the airplane back toward the runway. With one hand on the stick and the other on the canopy he could not manipulate the throttle and the airplane landed faster than normal. During the landing roll, the airplane departed the runway, substantially damaging the left wing root and buckling the fuselage behind the firewall. Post accident examination of the canopy locking mechanism revealed that the canopy latch and handle was functioning correctly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N811EV
- Reported as
- Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2006 0811
- Airframe hours
- 1,638
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 31, 2012
- Departed
- KRHV · San Jose, CA
- Destination
- KRHV · San Jose, CA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KRHV · Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa, runway 31, 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- November 3, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25 total · 25 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 16,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KRHV
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 15, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 11.3 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.