Alisport SILENT 2 TARGA N602SL

Summary

On 24 July 2016 at about 14:37 local time, a Alisport SILENT 2 TARGA registered N602SL was involved in an accident near London, Kentucky, 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

24 July 2016 at 14:37

Classification

Accident

Location

London, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

London-Corbin (LOZ)

Coordinates

37.0931, -84.0675

Aircraft

Alisport SILENT 2 TARGA

Registration

N602SL

Category

Glider

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

London → London

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA16LA274

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to properly secure the right side of the canopy before takeoff, and an in-flight collision with trees while maneuvering with an open canopy. Contributing to the pilot's failure to properly secure the canopy was the lack of a visual indication that each side of the canopy was properly secured.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Earlier on the day of the accident, the private pilot flew the motor glider in the airport traffic pattern and, after an uneventful landing, secured the glider. The pilot did not report any discrepancies with the canopy during that flight. Before starting another flight later the same day, the pilot noted that the right side of the canopy did not latch properly, which he corrected. The pilot reported that, while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the right side of the canopy raised, followed by the left side and nose. He continued flying the glider and secured the engine, but did not retract the engine. After turning from the base to final leg of the traffic pattern, he realized that the glider was too far from the runway. The glider subsequently impacted trees short of the runway then impacted the ground. Postaccident examination of the canopy and canopy latch system revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination also revealed that the canopy could be offset from its normal position during the closing process and that the respective latch rod in that situation would be outside the airframe receiver hole, not allowing the canopy to secure properly. Additionally, there was no visual indication to indicate that the canopy was properly secured. It is likely that the pilot did not engage the latch rod into the airframe receiver hole when he closed the right side canopy latch before departure, which resulted in the in-flight canopy opening.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.