Swant VARIEZE N418EZ

Summary

On 16 April 1995 at about 12:30 local time, a Swant VARIEZE registered N418EZ was involved in an accident near Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 April 1995 at 12:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Tullahoma Municipal (THA)

Coordinates

35.3705, -86.2009

Aircraft

Swant VARIEZE

Registration

N418EZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL95LA084

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN A TAKEOFF WITH AN UNSECURED CANOPY, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES WERE NORMAL, EXCEPT THAT HE APPARENTLY FORGOT TO SECURE THE CANOPY. AT ABOUT 30 TO 40 FEET AGL, DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE CANOPY OPENED RAPIDLY. HE RETARDED THE THROTTLE, AND GRABBED THE CANOPY. HE COULD CLOSE THE CANOPY, BUT COULD NOT MANIPULATE THE LATCHES. AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE WERE LOST, AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED, AND THE PILOT EGRESSED THE AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.