Narrative:

Departed IFR from parsons, tn (0m1) at XX15 on oct/xa/98. Contacted ZME after departure and was given IFR clearance and squawk code. Cleared to 17000 ft shortly thereafter. At 17000 ft I checked the cockpit pressurization differential -- it was 3.8, which is standard. Was cleared to FL220. At FL184 the canopy released without warning. Personal belongings, charts, approach plates, etc, disappeared immediately. I activated the speed brakes immediately and started emergency descent. I then squawked 7700 and tried to talk to ATC as we were losing altitude. The sudden depressurization apparently damaged the microphone in my headset but communication was still possible. We were given the option to emergency land at the AFB in blytheville, ar. It was possible to visually inspect the rear control surfaces. The canopy did not strike the stabilizer even though papers, etc, were still clinging to the horizontal and vertical units. I wanted to return to my home base in jackson, tn (mkl) but the field was closed due to a hot air balloon race. We were vectored to dyersburg, tn (dyr) and landed. The aircraft was visually inspected. I called the FAA FSS in mkl and was told to wait by the aircraft because I would be called by FSDO. Shortly thereafter, FSDO (memphis) called and discussed the incident. I called ZME and spoke to the controller who handled the incident in order to thank them for their assistance. I was told that I was 26 NM on the 265 degree radial from dyr VOR when I squawked 7700. I have been called by the FAA 4 or 5 times since the incident. I am to meet with FSDO representative this week. I went to the mkl FSS by car shortly after the incident and discussed it with the officer. My wife was present there as well. I then took her home and drove back to dyr in the courtesy car they gave us. I inspected the plane again, discussed the situation with the a&P at the field, and then flew the plane back to mkl without a canopy since I had been taught in my rating training that the plane was fully ctlable without a canopy or with the canopy back.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL TWIN JET ACFT WITH 3 PAX SEATS WAS CLBING THROUGH FL184 WHEN THE COCKPIT CANOPY SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. ALL LOOSE PERSONAL PAPERS AND OTHER ITEMS WERE ALSO BLOWN OUT. SOME CAUGHT ON THE HORIZ STABILIZER. ARTCC CTLR VECTORED HIM TO A NEARBY ARPT AFTER THE RPTR DECLARED AN EMER.

Narrative: DEPARTED IFR FROM PARSONS, TN (0M1) AT XX15 ON OCT/XA/98. CONTACTED ZME AFTER DEP AND WAS GIVEN IFR CLRNC AND SQUAWK CODE. CLRED TO 17000 FT SHORTLY THEREAFTER. AT 17000 FT I CHKED THE COCKPIT PRESSURIZATION DIFFERENTIAL -- IT WAS 3.8, WHICH IS STANDARD. WAS CLRED TO FL220. AT FL184 THE CANOPY RELEASED WITHOUT WARNING. PERSONAL BELONGINGS, CHARTS, APCH PLATES, ETC, DISAPPEARED IMMEDIATELY. I ACTIVATED THE SPD BRAKES IMMEDIATELY AND STARTED EMER DSCNT. I THEN SQUAWKED 7700 AND TRIED TO TALK TO ATC AS WE WERE LOSING ALT. THE SUDDEN DEPRESSURIZATION APPARENTLY DAMAGED THE MIKE IN MY HEADSET BUT COM WAS STILL POSSIBLE. WE WERE GIVEN THE OPTION TO EMER LAND AT THE AFB IN BLYTHEVILLE, AR. IT WAS POSSIBLE TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE REAR CTL SURFACES. THE CANOPY DID NOT STRIKE THE STABILIZER EVEN THOUGH PAPERS, ETC, WERE STILL CLINGING TO THE HORIZ AND VERT UNITS. I WANTED TO RETURN TO MY HOME BASE IN JACKSON, TN (MKL) BUT THE FIELD WAS CLOSED DUE TO A HOT AIR BALLOON RACE. WE WERE VECTORED TO DYERSBURG, TN (DYR) AND LANDED. THE ACFT WAS VISUALLY INSPECTED. I CALLED THE FAA FSS IN MKL AND WAS TOLD TO WAIT BY THE ACFT BECAUSE I WOULD BE CALLED BY FSDO. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, FSDO (MEMPHIS) CALLED AND DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT. I CALLED ZME AND SPOKE TO THE CTLR WHO HANDLED THE INCIDENT IN ORDER TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS 26 NM ON THE 265 DEG RADIAL FROM DYR VOR WHEN I SQUAWKED 7700. I HAVE BEEN CALLED BY THE FAA 4 OR 5 TIMES SINCE THE INCIDENT. I AM TO MEET WITH FSDO REPRESENTATIVE THIS WEEK. I WENT TO THE MKL FSS BY CAR SHORTLY AFTER THE INCIDENT AND DISCUSSED IT WITH THE OFFICER. MY WIFE WAS PRESENT THERE AS WELL. I THEN TOOK HER HOME AND DROVE BACK TO DYR IN THE COURTESY CAR THEY GAVE US. I INSPECTED THE PLANE AGAIN, DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH THE A&P AT THE FIELD, AND THEN FLEW THE PLANE BACK TO MKL WITHOUT A CANOPY SINCE I HAD BEEN TAUGHT IN MY RATING TRAINING THAT THE PLANE WAS FULLY CTLABLE WITHOUT A CANOPY OR WITH THE CANOPY BACK.

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.