Service difficulty report · Spring · Diamon DA20A1

Difficulty date
December 31, 2003
Submitted
March 1, 2004
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Diamon DA20A1
Aircraft time
5,380 hours
Engine
Rotax ROTAX912
Propeller
Hofman HOV352F
Part
Spring
Part number
2056000902
Condition
Broken
Location
Canopy Hooks
Component
Canopy Assy
Component part number
205650110
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

(CAN) THE LT CANOPY SPRING CLIPS BROKE OFF AT BOTH ENDS OF THE CANOPY SPRING SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE ENERGY RELEASED DURING THE FAILURE WAS SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW ONE OF THE CLIPS TO TRAVEL THE WIDTH OF THE COCKPIT AND STRIKE THE RT SEAT OCCUPANT IN THE REAR OF THE HEAD. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS FAILURES OF CANOPY SPRINGS NOTED IN THE PAST. IN ALL PREVIOUS CASES ONLY ONE OF THE CLIPS FAILED. IN THE CASE OF A SINGLE-CLIP FAILURE BOTH THE SPRING AND THE BROKEN CLIP HAVE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME. THIS IS THE FIRST INSTANCE OF A SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OF BOTH ENDS. IT IS ALSO THE FIRST INSTANCE IN WHICH AN AIRCRAFT OCCUPANT WAS STRUCK BY A PIECE OF THE FAILED SPRING.

More about the Diamon DA20-A1