What happened
On 10 June 2015, at approximately 09:15 UTC, an XA42, registration G-XTME, was performing aerial work from White Waltham Airfield in Berkshire. Shortly after departing from Runway 03, while the aircraft was at an altitude of approximately 400 feet, the single-piece bubble canopy became detached. The force of the slipstream tore the canopy away from the airframe.
Following the separation, the pilot executed a modified circuit and successfully landed the aircraft on Runway 07. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board. While the canopy was recovered from the airfield, it was found to be destroyed. The aircraft sustained minor damage to its stabilisers.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the canopy's failure. Both the pilot and the passenger had believed prior to takeoff that the canopy was securely closed. However, the pilot determined that the component had failed in flight because it had not been properly secured, despite appearing to be locked.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was that the canopy was not properly secured prior to departure.
- Although the canopy appeared to be closed, the locking mechanism had not been sufficiently engaged to withstand the aerodynamic forces encountered during flight.