What happened
On 23 January 2022, a private flight departing from The Coves Aerodrome in Gauteng Province resulted in a serious incident involving an Extra Flugzeugbau EA-300L, registration ZS-BDE. During the takeoff roll on Runway 36, while the aircraft was at full power, the cockpit canopy unexpectedly blew open. The pilot attempted to reach for the handle to secure the canopy but was unable to do so. In an effort to stop the aircraft, the pilot applied the brakes and reduced throttle. This sudden deceleration caused the aircraft to tilt forward, leading to the propeller blade tips making contact with the ground. The incident resulted in minor damage to the propeller tips, though no injuries were reported.
The investigation
An inspection by an aircraft maintenance organization confirmed that the canopy latching mechanism was fully functional and serviceable. However, the investigation established that the canopy had not been properly secured following the pre-takeoff checklist. Maintenance records for the ZS-BDE were found to be current, with the aircraft having undergone its last mandatory periodic inspection approximately 33 flight hours prior to the event. The pilot held a valid Commercial Pilot Licence and a current Class I medical certificate at the time of the occurrence.
Findings
- The primary cause of the canopy opening was that the canopy was not properly latched during the pre-takeoff phase.
- The pilot's attempt to abort the takeoff roll using maximum braking caused the nose of the aircraft to dip, resulting in the propeller blades scraping the runway surface.
- It is suspected that either the pre-takeoff checklist was not utilized or the specific check for the canopy latch was not performed thoroughly.