Geldermann Bert E LANCAIR LEGACY N145JG

Summary

On 15 January 2018 at about 00:00 local time, a Geldermann Bert E LANCAIR LEGACY registered N145JG was involved in an accident near Friday Harbor, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 January 2018 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Friday Harbor, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Friday Harbor (FHR)

Coordinates

48.5222, -123.0244

Aircraft

Geldermann Bert E LANCAIR LEGACY

Registration

N145JG

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Friday Harbor → Friday Harbor

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA104

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s inability to maintain the landing flare, which resulted in the airplane landing hard short of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the cockpit canopy opening in flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, before a local flight, he placed the airplane's wing and canopy covers and his small dog in the baggage compartment. During the initial climb, after retracting the landing gear, the cockpit canopy, which tips forward for entry into the cockpit, came unlatched and opened to about a 45° angle. He attempted to close and relatch the canopy to no avail and decided to return to the departure airport. Subsequently, after extending the landing gear on final, the airplane lost speed, and the descent rate increased. He applied full power, but the airplane landed hard and short of the runway, and the landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that the airplane had an after-market, drop-down step kit that had been removed; however, during the kit removal, the step mechanism had been removed, but the brackets that extended into the baggage compartment had been overlooked. The brackets were attached to the canopy latching mechanism, and he believed his dog accidently hit the protruding brackets and inadvertently opened the canopy in flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the center wing spar. The pilot reported that, before the canopy opened, there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.