What happened
On October 14, 2025, at approximately 10:30 Pacific daylight time, an EXTRA FLUGZEUGBAU GMBH EA 300/L, registration N300EX, was involved in an accident near Arlington, Washington. The aircraft was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 for instructional purposes.
During the takeoff roll, several seconds after the pilot initiated the roll, the canopy opened and subsequently separated from the aircraft. The departing canopy struck the rudder, the right horizontal stabilizer, and the right elevator trim tab, causing substantial damage to these components. The instructor pilot aborted the takeoff and exited the runway. Both the flight instructor and the student pilot were not injured.
Prior to departure, the instructor pilot reported verifying that the canopy was closed and latched on three separate occasions. The instructor noted that the separation was likely caused by a mechanical malfunction of the canopy latching mechanism, specifically suggesting that the left-side locking mechanism may not have engaged the retention receptacle.