Pilot of a foreign built military jet trainer failed to properly latch the forward canopy before tak...

Attributes
ACN	327086
Time
Date	199510
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ahh
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Military Trainer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	327086
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff, front canopy departed aircraft. No damage to aircraft. Canopy fell into apple river, not recovered. During engine start and canopy closing, pilot distracted by rapidly rising egt, abandoned canopy closing procedure in- progress to attend to egt, and never completed canopy locking. This particular aircraft did not have canopy-not- locked indicator installed. Other aircraft do/do not have light. Pilot took off with canopy not locked. Fix: install canopy-not-locked microswitch and prominent light warning of not-locked condition. Add item to checklist -- 'before takeoff.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the aircraft make and model was a czechoslovakia model L29. This model is now obsolete and served as a military trainer for the czech air force. A few of the aircraft have been imported to the united states and certificated in the experimental category. This aircraft was one of the early models which was thought to not have a canopy unlatched warning. However, after the reporter submitted his report, the aircraft wiring diagram revealed how it was wired for the warning, but not connected that way at the time of reassembly in this country. The reporter's aircraft now has a warning system. He stated that most of the other later models all had a warning light and horn for canopy unlatched. He stated that the canopy came off at approximately 140 KTS airspeed and that he slowed to 115 KTS and came back for landing. He did have a passenger in the rear seat.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A FOREIGN BUILT MIL JET TRAINER FAILED TO PROPERLY LATCH THE FORWARD CANOPY BEFORE TKOF AND LOST THE CANOPY OF THE ACFT DURING INITIAL CLB OUT. HE MADE A SUCCESSFUL RETURN LNDG.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, FRONT CANOPY DEPARTED ACFT. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT. CANOPY FELL INTO APPLE RIVER, NOT RECOVERED. DURING ENG START AND CANOPY CLOSING, PLT DISTRACTED BY RAPIDLY RISING EGT, ABANDONED CANOPY CLOSING PROC IN- PROGRESS TO ATTEND TO EGT, AND NEVER COMPLETED CANOPY LOCKING. THIS PARTICULAR ACFT DID NOT HAVE CANOPY-NOT- LOCKED INDICATOR INSTALLED. OTHER ACFT DO/DO NOT HAVE LIGHT. PLT TOOK OFF WITH CANOPY NOT LOCKED. FIX: INSTALL CANOPY-NOT-LOCKED MICROSWITCH AND PROMINENT LIGHT WARNING OF NOT-LOCKED CONDITION. ADD ITEM TO CHKLIST -- 'BEFORE TKOF.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE ACFT MAKE AND MODEL WAS A CZECHOSLOVAKIA MODEL L29. THIS MODEL IS NOW OBSOLETE AND SERVED AS A MIL TRAINER FOR THE CZECH AIR FORCE. A FEW OF THE ACFT HAVE BEEN IMPORTED TO THE UNITED STATES AND CERTIFICATED IN THE EXPERIMENTAL CATEGORY. THIS ACFT WAS ONE OF THE EARLY MODELS WHICH WAS THOUGHT TO NOT HAVE A CANOPY UNLATCHED WARNING. HOWEVER, AFTER THE RPTR SUBMITTED HIS RPT, THE ACFT WIRING DIAGRAM REVEALED HOW IT WAS WIRED FOR THE WARNING, BUT NOT CONNECTED THAT WAY AT THE TIME OF REASSEMBLY IN THIS COUNTRY. THE RPTR'S ACFT NOW HAS A WARNING SYS. HE STATED THAT MOST OF THE OTHER LATER MODELS ALL HAD A WARNING LIGHT AND HORN FOR CANOPY UNLATCHED. HE STATED THAT THE CANOPY CAME OFF AT APPROX 140 KTS AIRSPD AND THAT HE SLOWED TO 115 KTS AND CAME BACK FOR LNDG. HE DID HAVE A PAX IN THE REAR SEAT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.

Pilot of a foreign built military jet trainer failed to properly latch the forward canopy before takeoff and lost the canopy of the aircraft during initial climb out. He made a successful return landing.