What happened
On August 12, 2013, an amateur-built Evans VP MK2, registration LN-RME, was conducting a test flight at Skien Airport Geiteryggen. Shortly after departing from runway 19, the left cockpit door detached from the aircraft at an altitude of approximately 100 to 200 feet. The pilot initially reduced engine power but determined that there was insufficient runway remaining to land immediately, prompting a decision to climb and divert to runway 01 for an emergency landing.
During the final approach to runway 01, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude and struck a monitor antenna located just before the runway threshold. The impact destroyed the antenna and caused significant damage to the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer, which was nearly torn from the airframe. Despite the structural damage, the pilot managed to perform a controlled landing on the runway. There were no injuries to the single occupant.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the failure of the cockpit door and the subsequent collision. The aircraft, which the pilot had built himself, featured a modified enclosed cockpit with two doors, unlike the original open-cockpit design. The investigation revealed that the door locking mechanism relied on pins being pushed into the frame, but there were no cockpit indicators to confirm if the doors were properly secured. It was determined that the locking pins could remain outside the frame even when the handle appeared to be in the locked position.
Investigators also examined the antenna strike. The antenna was mounted on a rigid, non-breakable pole. Following the accident, a breakable mast was installed to mitigate future risks.
Findings
- The cockpit door likely failed to lock properly before takeoff; as airspeed increased, the door opened and was torn from its hinges.
- The loss of the door created a large opening in the canopy, increasing aerodynamic drag and likely causing significant turbulence over the tail section.
- The collision with the antenna was a primary factor in the structural damage to the horizontal stabilizer.
- The antenna was mounted on a rigid structure that did not yield upon impact.