Aircraft
Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
CE-07-44
September 4, 2007
This is information only. Recommendations
aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you
of an airworthiness concern for amateur built experimental airplanes
where a loss of directional control could occur during an
emergency landing due to lack of a positive canopy latching device.
Background
During the investigation of a non-fatal accident (Identification
No. NYC06CA021), the NTSB and the FAA's Flight Standards Division noted
that the canopy latch mechanism had no positive or overcenter latch
mechanism to prevent the canopy from coming open during flight. The
canopy inadvertently came open in flight causing loss of control and
contributed to the accident. The aircraft was substantially damaged and
the pilot was seriously injured. While the design and construction of
amateur built airplanes are not covered by any airworthiness standards,
the FAA recommends inspection of all experimental amateur built
aircraft for a positive canopy latching device.
Recommendation
We recommend that operators of amateur built experimental
airplanes, including those airplanes built from kits, check the locking
mechanism on the canopy latch for positive lock.