<< >> NASA ASRS Report 368093, May 1997

Pilot of a yak 9 experimental aircraft declared an emergency after the left side panel of the canopy separated from the aircraft and caused an aircraft control vibration. The reporter decided to declare the emergency after he was advised by tower that he would be #5 for landing unless an emergency was declared.

Attributes
ACN	368093
Time
Date	199705
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lvk
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lvk
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1
ASRS Report	368093
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was test flying a yak 9 experimental aircraft. I was circling over the livermore airport at 3000 ft when the left side of the canopy separated from the side of the aircraft. It caused a vibration in the airframe, and I was afraid the canopy would come off the airplane. I requested an immediate landing from the tower. The controller asked if I was declaring an emergency. I said no, but I was requesting priority and an immediate landing. He said I was #5. I said I need to land now, and he said 'understand you are declaring an emergency.' I said no, and he said you are #5. I then declared an emergency and landed. The controller was very unhelpful, and did all he could to make a bad situation worse. I am a DC10 captain for a living, a former air force pilot, and this was the poorest ATC I have ever seen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A YAK 9 EXPERIMENTAL ACFT DECLARED AN EMER AFTER THE L SIDE PANEL OF THE CANOPY SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT AND CAUSED AN ACFT CTL VIBRATION. THE RPTR DECIDED TO DECLARE THE EMER AFTER HE WAS ADVISED BY TWR THAT HE WOULD BE #5 FOR LNDG UNLESS AN EMER WAS DECLARED.

Narrative: I WAS TEST FLYING A YAK 9 EXPERIMENTAL ACFT. I WAS CIRCLING OVER THE LIVERMORE ARPT AT 3000 FT WHEN THE L SIDE OF THE CANOPY SEPARATED FROM THE SIDE OF THE ACFT. IT CAUSED A VIBRATION IN THE AIRFRAME, AND I WAS AFRAID THE CANOPY WOULD COME OFF THE AIRPLANE. I REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE LNDG FROM THE TWR. THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I SAID NO, BUT I WAS REQUESTING PRIORITY AND AN IMMEDIATE LNDG. HE SAID I WAS #5. I SAID I NEED TO LAND NOW, AND HE SAID 'UNDERSTAND YOU ARE DECLARING AN EMER.' I SAID NO, AND HE SAID YOU ARE #5. I THEN DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED. THE CTLR WAS VERY UNHELPFUL, AND DID ALL HE COULD TO MAKE A BAD SIT WORSE. I AM A DC10 CAPT FOR A LIVING, A FORMER AIR FORCE PLT, AND THIS WAS THE POOREST ATC I HAVE EVER SEEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.