 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A grob 103 sailplane has the rear canopy come open during the tow to altitude. Pilot failed to check canopy properly closed during preflight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 371957 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199706 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : 1nj airport : 1n7 |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Sail Plane |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 371957 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
On jun/xx/97 I flew twice with my glider flight instructor for a chkout in a grob 103. The 2 flts went well and I was signed off for PIC in the grob. On the first solo flight the rear canopy came open during the tow. This was due to my improper preflight to insure the canopy was closed. I was able to return the ship to the airport and land without any other damage to the aircraft. However, the canopy was damaged. In thinking about the situation, I came up with the following: although I have flown solo many times, this was my first time in a glider which has 2 canopies. I did the preflight check and did in fact close the forward canopy, but totally forgot the rear one.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A GROB 103 SAILPLANE HAS THE REAR CANOPY COME OPEN DURING THE TOW TO ALT. PLT FAILED TO CHK CANOPY PROPERLY CLOSED DURING PREFLT.
Narrative: ON JUN/XX/97 I FLEW TWICE WITH MY GLIDER FLT INSTRUCTOR FOR A CHKOUT IN A GROB 103. THE 2 FLTS WENT WELL AND I WAS SIGNED OFF FOR PIC IN THE GROB. ON THE FIRST SOLO FLT THE REAR CANOPY CAME OPEN DURING THE TOW. THIS WAS DUE TO MY IMPROPER PREFLT TO INSURE THE CANOPY WAS CLOSED. I WAS ABLE TO RETURN THE SHIP TO THE ARPT AND LAND WITHOUT ANY OTHER DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. HOWEVER, THE CANOPY WAS DAMAGED. IN THINKING ABOUT THE SIT, I CAME UP WITH THE FOLLOWING: ALTHOUGH I HAVE FLOWN SOLO MANY TIMES, THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME IN A GLIDER WHICH HAS 2 CANOPIES. I DID THE PREFLT CHK AND DID IN FACT CLOSE THE FORWARD CANOPY, BUT TOTALLY FORGOT THE REAR ONE.
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.