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Sailplane pilot has canopy open on initial climb. He releases tow rope and makes an emergency landing at departure airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 379862 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 0pa0 |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 500 |
| 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 : initial |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 335 flight time type : 220 |
| ASRS Report | 379862 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Prior to flight, the proper checklist was performed. The glider, a 103 grob, was taken in tow at hilltown, PA. At 300-500 ft, the rear canopy blew open. I executed proper rope break procedure and landed back at the field. No injuries occurred. The rear canopy fractured and the plexiglas fractured. After landing, I discovered that on 3 other separate flts the same thing happened. However, no damage was incurred. No further action was taken. I also discovered that this aircraft had an airworthiness directive on this canopy and I believe no action was taken because the airworthiness directive was for negative G.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SAILPLANE PLT HAS CANOPY OPEN ON INITIAL CLB. HE RELEASES TOW ROPE AND MAKES AN EMER LNDG AT DEP ARPT.
Narrative: PRIOR TO FLT, THE PROPER CHKLIST WAS PERFORMED. THE GLIDER, A 103 GROB, WAS TAKEN IN TOW AT HILLTOWN, PA. AT 300-500 FT, THE REAR CANOPY BLEW OPEN. I EXECUTED PROPER ROPE BREAK PROC AND LANDED BACK AT THE FIELD. NO INJURIES OCCURRED. THE REAR CANOPY FRACTURED AND THE PLEXIGLAS FRACTURED. AFTER LNDG, I DISCOVERED THAT ON 3 OTHER SEPARATE FLTS THE SAME THING HAPPENED. HOWEVER, NO DAMAGE WAS INCURRED. NO FURTHER ACTION WAS TAKEN. I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THIS ACFT HAD AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ON THIS CANOPY AND I BELIEVE NO ACTION WAS TAKEN BECAUSE THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE WAS FOR NEGATIVE G.
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.