Amateur-built 601 N467SD accident near Hemet, California

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain the airplane's descent rate during a precautionary landing, which resulted in hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to secure the canopy before takeoff, which precipitated the precautionary landing.

NTSB analysis

The sport pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. The pilot reported that, after completing the before takeoff checks, he initiated the takeoff roll, rotated the airplane, and then climbed it to about 80 ft above ground level, at which point the canopy opened. The canopy began "bobbing up and down," so the pilot aborted the takeoff and landed on the remaining available runway. The pilot reported that he "lost perspective" during landing and that the airplane impacted the runway hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.

The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot further reported that he taxied to the runway with the canopy unsecured and that he could not recall if he secured the two latches before takeoff or if the "mental checklist" he used included securing the canopy. Postaccident photographs of the canopy latching mechanism showed that the mechanism appeared undamaged and functional; therefore, it is likely the pilot did not secure the canopy before takeoff.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA16LA032 for the full record.