Rv-6A pilot reported becoming alarmed at a banging noise in flight that turned out be a jacket sleev...

Attributes
ACN	1363086
Time
Date	201606
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	RV-6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 19 Flight Crew Total 1861 Flight Crew Type 720
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown

Narrative:

Level at 8;000 ft MSL. Radar contact with center. There was a sudden; very loud banging noise in aircraft. My first thought was an engine problem. Immediately reduced power to slow down and started descent. Attempted to contact center on assigned frequency. No response. I determined that the cause of noise was not engine related at about 7;600 feet MSL and that there was no cause to terminate the flight. Added power; returned to course and climbed back to assigned altitude (8;000 ft). Center never queried our intentions. Aircraft is equipped with a sliding canopy that swells slightly in width at cruise speeds due to aerodynamic loads on the canopy. My wife was using a light jacket to shield herself from the sun on the right side of the aircraft. One sleeve of the jacket was pulled out of the aircraft thru a 1/8-inch gap between the canopy skirt and the airframe. The jacket sleeve was pulled out approximately 15 inches and beat the side of the aircraft. We were able to retrieve the sleeve and continued to our destination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RV-6A pilot reported becoming alarmed at a banging noise in flight that turned out be a jacket sleeve that was drawn out of the canopy and was striking the fuselage.

Narrative: Level at 8;000 ft MSL. Radar contact with Center. There was a sudden; very loud banging noise in aircraft. My first thought was an engine problem. Immediately reduced power to slow down and started descent. Attempted to contact Center on assigned frequency. No response. I determined that the cause of noise was not engine related at about 7;600 feet MSL and that there was no cause to terminate the flight. Added power; returned to course and climbed back to assigned altitude (8;000 ft). Center never queried our intentions. Aircraft is equipped with a sliding canopy that swells slightly in width at cruise speeds due to aerodynamic loads on the canopy. My wife was using a light jacket to shield herself from the sun on the right side of the aircraft. One sleeve of the jacket was pulled out of the aircraft thru a 1/8-inch gap between the canopy skirt and the airframe. The jacket sleeve was pulled out approximately 15 inches and beat the side of the aircraft. We were able to retrieve the sleeve and continued to our destination.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Rv-6A pilot reported becoming alarmed at a banging noise in flight that turned out be a jacket sleeve that was drawn out of the canopy and was striking the fuselage.