Friday, November 18, 2011

Zodiac CH601 HDS, N274: Accident occurred November 17, 2011 in Clinton, Arkansas

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA071 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, November 17, 2011 in Clinton, AR
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/28/2012
Aircraft: JUVE RICHARD G ZODIAC CH601 HDS, registration: N274
Injuries: 2 Serious.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

According to the pilot, prior to departure, the airplane's canopy was secured in the normal manner. He said that the takeoff was uneventful, but, about 300 feet above ground level, the airplane's canopy began to vibrate. The front right corner of the canopy rose up about 4 inches before the entire canopy lifted in the front and then shattered. The pilot attempted to return to the runway, but the airplane stalled and impacted terrain. A postaccident examination of the wreckage found scratches on the forward canopy latch's engagement point consistent with a misalignment of the canopy latch. The examination also revealed that the canopy latches had previously been improperly repaired. As a result, the latch could not fully secure the forward portion of the canopy.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The inadvertent opening of the canopy during takeoff due to the improperly repaired forward canopy latch mechanism, which did not fully secure the canopy.

On November 17, 2011, approximately 1645 central standard time, a kit-built Zodiac CH601 HDS airplane, N274, impacted terrain near Clinton, Arkansas. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to a statement provided by the pilot, the airplane's canopy was secured in the normal manner and the canopy locks were both engaged and visually inspected prior to takeoff. The airplane's takeoff was uneventful until approximately 300 feet above ground level when the airplane's canopy began to vibrate. The pilot added, that the front right corner of the canopy rose about four inches. The entire canopy lifted in front and then the canopy shattered. The pilot, who lost his glasses when the canopy broke, attempted to return to the runway; however, the airplane stalled and impacted terrain.

A witness reported that the airplane had just departed when they heard a loud pop. The witness added that the airplane turned left, descended, and disappeared from view.

An inspection of the airframe by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration revealed substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, the empennage, the vertical fin, and rudder. An examination of the airplane’s interior found that both canopy latches appeared to have been repaired at an unknown time prior to the accident, evident by a different quality weld. The repaired forward latch’s curvature did not fully match the latch’s engagement point. In addition, scratches on structure surrounding the forward canopy latch's engagement point were consistent with a misalignment of the canopy latch. As a result, the latch could not fully secure the forward portion of the canopy. The aft latch, which lacked misalignment marks, possessed a more curve-like appearance and matched the aft latch's engagement point.

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Clinton Mayor Roger Rorie tells KARK that 2 people were rescued after an experimental plane crashed in field near the Clinton Municipal Airport.

Mayor Rorie says the pilot, Stephen James, a former Van Buren County Prosecutor was piloting an experimental plane when the canopy blew off just after the plane left the runway.

James attempted to bring the plane back to the airport to land but hit a field nearby.

Mayor Rorie says James and a unnamed passenger where both taken to a local hospital. No word yet on their condition.

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