Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER N823MM accident near Lanark, New Mexico

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of control of the airplane after the inadvertent unlocking and opening of the canopy for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was performing a power-off stall at about 6,500 ft mean sea level during a personal flight. He stated that, as the nose of the airplane dropped, the left canopy latch “let loose.” About 4 to 5 seconds later, the right canopy latch “let go,” and the entire windscreen “popped up like a speed brake.” The airplane’s pitch remained nose down, and the airplane impacted terrain, substantially damaging the left wing and fuselage.

Postaccident examination of the wreckage found no preimpact anomalies with the canopy or canopy operating system. Although the pilot reported that the left-side latch came loose before the right-side latch, the examination found that the locking mechanisms engaged and disengaged from both sides of the canopy at the same time when the canopy locking handle was lowered and raised. Examination of the canopy locking system showed that the canopy locking handle required about 1/4 inch of upward movement from the locked and stowed position for the locking mechanisms to reach an over-center position that effectively unlocked the canopy.

The accident circumstances were consistent with the pilot’s loss of control of the airplane during flight after the inadvertent unlocking and opening of the canopy. The reason that the canopy locking handle became unstowed during the accident flight could not be determined based on the available evidence from the investigation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR22LA137 for the full record.