Light Sport Aircraft
Flight Crew Sport / Recreational
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 225; Flight Crew Type 200
Physiological - Other; Time Pressure; Workload; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Procedure; Human Factors
I departed runway and was cleared to make right turn heading south southeast. While climbing to 2;500 FT MSL my canopy blew open causing a struggle to control the aircraft. I immediately tried to radio the Tower but my headphones blew off into the back of plane. I struggled to keep control of aircraft while trying to hold the canopy down. For fear that I would lose the canopy and strike the tail of the plane I hung onto the canopy with one hand while flying with the other. I had no one in the plane to assist me during this event. Each time the canopy got away from me in the below zero temperatures; and extreme pressures; the plane nose dived losing altitude. I recovered barely before the ground. I made a turn to go back to the airport 4 miles back. I was not able to reach for the transponder or radios as this was an emergency. I flew back without being able to radio the Tower and landed on runway after checking final was clear. When I cleared the runway I reached into the back and retrieved my headphones. I called the Tower then and was advised to phone the Tower. I described the incident to the Tower and told him I could not take my hands off the canopy and controls. This incident was a struggle for my life. The incident that caused this may have been the latch was not fully locked or the headphone wire was partially in the latch. To correct for this to never happen again I am going to check that the latch is locked and secured and nothing is entangled in it. I am also going to put a secondary strap to secure canopy so if it did open up one can fly with two hands and keep control of the aircraft.
An Evektor Sport Star canopy came opened in flight probably because it was not fully latched but the pilot barely able to control the aircraft while keeping the canopy on; made an emergency NORDO return to the departure airport.