Amateur-built KR-2S N729PK accident near Wadsworth, Ohio

Probable cause

A loss of airplane control for a reason that could not be determined based on available information.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was returning the amateur-built airplane to the airport shortly after departure. The pilot of another airplane in the area reported that he heard the accident pilot announce that he was returning to the airport due to an unspecified canopy problem. The accident airplane subsequently pitched nose down into a small lake near the airport.

Postaccident examination of the recovered components found no anomalies. Portions of the canopy system were recovered, including the left hinge, but the right hinge and latching mechanism were not recovered. It is possible the left or right latching mechanism, which operated independently of each other, failed, or became disengaged; however, no determination could be made regarding the condition of the canopy at the time the pilot communicated the unspecified canopy issue.

It is also possible that an open canopy could have affected the airplane’s flight performance. However, due to the unique nature of the amateur-built airplane, the flight control and performance effects of a potentially open canopy during flight could not be quantified.

Based on the available evidence, the accident was the result of a loss of control for a reason that could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN21LA395 for the full record.