Jihlavan KP 5 ASA N31KP

Summary

On 31 March 2008 at about 18:00 local time, a Jihlavan KP 5 ASA registered N31KP was involved in an accident near Marana, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 March 2008 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Marana, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Marana Regional Airport (KAVQ)

Coordinates

32.4094, -111.2183

Aircraft

Jihlavan KP 5 ASA

Registration

N31KP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marana → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA08LA101

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed above stalling speed (Vs) during an emergency landing after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was an inadequate preflight inspection, and the airplane's canopy coming partially open shortly after takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane's canopy partially opened shortly after takeoff, and the pilot elected to return to the airport for landing. When he was about one-half mile from the airport, he inadvertently allowed the airspeed to drop below stall speed (Vs), and the airplane stalled and mushed into the terrain. A postaccident inspection of the latch found it to be fully functional, with no evidence that it would not latch the canopy if the canopy was firmly closed. The latching mechanism is of a spring-loaded self-activating design that automatically slides over the top of a tang attached to the canopy when the canopy is firmly closed by the pilot. The mechanism then remains in the latched position until the pilot moves the release ring into a position that causes the latch to release. The latching mechanism is located about a foot above, and six inches behind, the right shoulder of a pilot sitting in the left seat. In this position the latch is not easily checked visually, thus dictating that the pilot close the canopy firmly, and then push up on the canopy firmly in order to ensure that the latching mechanism has become fully engaged. Discussions with the manufacturer disclosed that since the time that this airplane was manufactured, but prior to this accident, the manufacturer redesigned the airplane canopy latching system. The new design incorporates two latching mechanisms that are located just forward of the pilot on the left and right side fuselage surfaces upon which the canopy rests when closed. The mechanisms are not self-locking, and are instead positive-action latches that must be engaged by the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.