L29 flight crew has the canopy depart the aircraft in-flight.

Attributes
ACN	702079
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Trainer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : holding
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	702079
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	702649
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

10 mins after takeoff; while climbing through 5000 ft; cockpit pressure light illuminated. I then noticed the front left canopy latch was not in place. Canopy handle was locked and canopy ajar light was out. I then attempted to move the canopy into the locking mechanism and the canopy departed the aircraft. I should have returned for landing and adjusted the canopy on deck. A contributing factor was the time line needed to join 3 other aircraft for formation training. While I visually checked the canopy lever full forward and locked; and the canopy ajar light out; I do not recall visually checking the front left canopy lock in place. The underlying lesson learned was that if the canopy were in place; it would likely stay in place for a slow speed return to the airfield to re-lock the canopy. 702649: cabin pressure was not an issue. The light indicated that there was a poor seal between the canopy and the fuselage. At low altitude; such a condition presents no hazard to flight. Better CRM would have prevented the occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L29 FLT CREW HAS THE CANOPY DEPART THE ACFT INFLT.

Narrative: 10 MINS AFTER TKOF; WHILE CLBING THROUGH 5000 FT; COCKPIT PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I THEN NOTICED THE FRONT L CANOPY LATCH WAS NOT IN PLACE. CANOPY HANDLE WAS LOCKED AND CANOPY AJAR LIGHT WAS OUT. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE CANOPY INTO THE LOCKING MECHANISM AND THE CANOPY DEPARTED THE ACFT. I SHOULD HAVE RETURNED FOR LNDG AND ADJUSTED THE CANOPY ON DECK. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE TIME LINE NEEDED TO JOIN 3 OTHER ACFT FOR FORMATION TRAINING. WHILE I VISUALLY CHKED THE CANOPY LEVER FULL FORWARD AND LOCKED; AND THE CANOPY AJAR LIGHT OUT; I DO NOT RECALL VISUALLY CHKING THE FRONT L CANOPY LOCK IN PLACE. THE UNDERLYING LESSON LEARNED WAS THAT IF THE CANOPY WERE IN PLACE; IT WOULD LIKELY STAY IN PLACE FOR A SLOW SPD RETURN TO THE AIRFIELD TO RE-LOCK THE CANOPY. 702649: CABIN PRESSURE WAS NOT AN ISSUE. THE LIGHT INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A POOR SEAL BTWN THE CANOPY AND THE FUSELAGE. AT LOW ALT; SUCH A CONDITION PRESENTS NO HAZARD TO FLT. BETTER CRM WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE OCCURRENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.