Passenger pulled the canopy jettison handle on a military type jet fighter trainer.

Attributes
ACN	514614
Time
Date	200105
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Fighter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	514614
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

I am a current and qualified PIC, in an aeronautical vodochody-left-39C-albatross aircraft. This aircraft is a tandem 2 place, single engine fighter jet. The subject incident occurred while giving a demonstration flight to a non-aviation orientated individual. The individual received a very thorough safety briefing before entering the rear cockpit, and again while in place and being strapped in. Prior to engine start, another qualified L-39C pilot verified the passenger's security in place, reviewed a final briefing, and closed the canopy. We then taxied out to the runway. With clearance, we departed the runway and began a climbing right turn to approximately a 340 degree heading. Upon rolling wings level on a 340 degree heading and beginning to leveloff at 2000 ft AGL, the rear seated passenger inadvertently pulled the canopy jettison handle in an attempt to find something to hold in assisting her to adjust her sitting position in the seat. I immediately declared an emergency with tower and returned to land on the runway. No persons were injured in the aircraft or on the ground, and there was no damage done to the aircraft. The canopy came to rest on the edge of a pond in a nearby residential community. We then coordinated and cooperated with the local law enforcement agency and recovered the remains of the canopy. I contacted an FAA inspector following the incident. No further developments have become of this at this time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX PULLED THE CANOPY JETTISON HANDLE ON A MIL TYPE JET FIGHTER TRAINER.

Narrative: I AM A CURRENT AND QUALIFIED PIC, IN AN AERO VODOCHODY-L-39C-ALBATROSS ACFT. THIS ACFT IS A TANDEM 2 PLACE, SINGLE ENG FIGHTER JET. THE SUBJECT INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE GIVING A DEMO FLT TO A NON-AVIATION ORIENTATED INDIVIDUAL. THE INDIVIDUAL RECEIVED A VERY THOROUGH SAFETY BRIEFING BEFORE ENTERING THE REAR COCKPIT, AND AGAIN WHILE IN PLACE AND BEING STRAPPED IN. PRIOR TO ENG START, ANOTHER QUALIFIED L-39C PLT VERIFIED THE PAX'S SECURITY IN PLACE, REVIEWED A FINAL BRIEFING, AND CLOSED THE CANOPY. WE THEN TAXIED OUT TO THE RWY. WITH CLRNC, WE DEPARTED THE RWY AND BEGAN A CLBING R TURN TO APPROX A 340 DEG HDG. UPON ROLLING WINGS LEVEL ON A 340 DEG HDG AND BEGINNING TO LEVELOFF AT 2000 FT AGL, THE REAR SEATED PAX INADVERTENTLY PULLED THE CANOPY JETTISON HANDLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND SOMETHING TO HOLD IN ASSISTING HER TO ADJUST HER SITTING POS IN THE SEAT. I IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER WITH TWR AND RETURNED TO LAND ON THE RWY. NO PERSONS WERE INJURED IN THE ACFT OR ON THE GND, AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE DONE TO THE ACFT. THE CANOPY CAME TO REST ON THE EDGE OF A POND IN A NEARBY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY. WE THEN COORDINATED AND COOPERATED WITH THE LCL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND RECOVERED THE REMAINS OF THE CANOPY. I CONTACTED AN FAA INSPECTOR FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. NO FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BECOME OF THIS AT THIS TIME.

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.