Akro Tech Aviation Inc Giles G-300 N300NW

Summary

On 18 September 2005 at about 16:35 local time, a Akro Tech Aviation Inc Giles G-300 registered N300NW was involved in an accident near Yukon, Oklahoma, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 September 2005 at 16:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Yukon, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Clarence E. Page (F29)

Coordinates

35.4992, -97.8200

Aircraft

Akro Tech Aviation Inc Giles G-300

Registration

N300NW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Yukon → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW05FA242

1 person died.

The catastrophic separation of the canopy as result of the failure of the forward canopy hinge while performing aerobatics and the subsequent incapacitation of the pilot.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 6,700-hour commercial pilot had just started a practice session in preparation for an aerobatic competition when she initiated a 45-to-55-degree nose-up climb. As the airplane began to ascend, witnesses observed the acrylic canopy separate in fragments from the airplane. The airplane continued to climb before it rolled to the right and entered an approximate 60-degree nose-down descent. The engine remained at full power during the descent and no flight control movements were observed after the canopy had separated. A witness made several attempts to contact the pilot via radio, but there was no response. Examination of the canopy revealed that it fastened to the fuselage by two metal hinges that fastened directly to the fuselage with four flat-head bolts. There was no evidence of bonding material or adhesive in the area of the fuselage underneath the mounting plate of either hinge. The forward hinge was never located; however, a closer view of the location where the front canopy hinge was located indicated there were "rub" marks on the surface of the fuselage underneath the hinge pin lock wire, which was indicative to contact wear with the bent end of the hinge pin. The hinge pin lock wire was also worn and flattened in areas, which corresponded to contact wear with the bent end of the hinge pin. The rear hinge was fractured into two pieces through the mounting plate at the fuselage side of the hinge. Deformation was observed around the rivet holes where the hinge was attached to the fuselage, indicative of overstress. Bolt holes in the mounting plate at the canopy side of the hinge were deformed, and the edges of the holes were cracked or fractured, consistent with overstress. One of the four bolts remained in the mounting plate on the canopy side of the hinge. Rub marks similar to those found in the area of the front hinge pin lock wire were not present. In addition, there was no damage to the hinge pin lock wire. A review of aircraft logbooks revealed that the airplane was built in 1997 and had accrued approximately 900 hours at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.