Craig SONERAI II LT N204WC

Summary

On 31 October 2005 at about 15:30 local time, a Craig SONERAI II LT registered N204WC was involved in an accident near Ashland, Kentucky, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 October 2005 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Ashland, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Ahland-Boyd County Airport (DWU)

Coordinates

38.5544, -82.7381

Aircraft

Craig SONERAI II LT

Registration

N204WC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ashland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC06CA021

1 person was seriously injured.

A loss of directional control during an emergency landing. A factor in the accident was an unlatched canopy requiring the pilot to hold it closed to maintain aircraft control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had completed construction of the amateur built airplane, and was in the process of initial flight testing. The pilot had accumulated 4 hours of total flight time in the accident airplane. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot secured the side-opening canopy by engaging three interconnected 1/4-inch pins, into three 1/4-inch mating sleeves. Except for a significant amount of friction between the pins and mating surfaces, there was no locking mechanism for the canopy. Although the pilot did not experience any difficulties during several prior flights, the canopy opened during the initial climb of the accident flight, about 500 feet agl. When the canopy opened fully, the airplane became uncontrollable. Due to airflow over the canopy, the pilot was unable to refasten the pins, and had to hold the canopy closed with his hands. The pilot was able to partially control the airplane, and perform an emergency landing on a 5,602-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. During the landing, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck a berm.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.