Sail Plane
Flight Crew Glider; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 8; Flight Crew Total 150; Flight Crew Type 150
Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft
I performed a left-wing low slip to lose altitude in the SZD-50 Puchacz glider. During the slip; the canopy opened and the canopy retaining strap broke. The canopy opened fully and shattered. Most of the Plexiglas was gone. I brought the aircraft out of the slip and what remained of the canopy was pulled back over and held in place by my guest passenger. A normal pattern and landing were flown and there was no significant difference in the performance and handling of the aircraft without the canopy. There are four possible causes of this event. 1. I had my hand on the air brake handle below the canopy latch handle. I may have dislodged the canopy latch handle while manipulating the air brakes in the slip. 2. My passenger may have dislodged the canopy latch accidentally. 3. The latch may not have been closed properly before take-off. The latch was checked during the before takeoff checklist and was confirmed closed at the time. 4. The latch may have failed. This glider has a history of inadvertent canopy openings in flight. To prevent the problem in the future; pilots of this model should be made aware of the potential for canopy opening and left slips may not be recommended. Some modification to prevent canopy opening could be useful.
SZD-50 Puchacz glider canopy opened in flight and shattered; so the pilot closed what remained of the canopy and landed without a problem. This aircraft's canopy has been the subject of past failures.