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ERA12CA443

2012-07-02 · Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport LNS

Current FAA registration · N182EV

Make / Model
EVEKTOR-AEROTECHNIK AS SPORTSTAR PLUS
Year of manufacture
2007 · 5 years old at event
Engine
ROTAX 912UL SERIES (80 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20191119
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A14892

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's attempt to secure an open canopy during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent hard landing.

Factual narrative

The pilot initiated a takeoff and as the airplane became airborne, the canopy opened. The pilot attempted to close the canopy and lost control of the airplane. The airplane landed hard on the runway causing substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot stated he failed to secure the canopy before takeoff and there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot initiated a takeoff and, as the airplane became airborne, the canopy opened. The pilot attempted to close the canopy and lost control of the airplane. The airplane landed hard on the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot stated that he failed to secure the canopy before takeoff and there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft structures-Doors-Passenger/crew doors-Incorrect use/operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_ERA12CA443.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (loss of control). All research papers