Extra 200/300 Series
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 2000; Flight Crew Type 1300
Distraction; Physiological - Other; Troubleshooting; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Flying in an Extra 300L; canopy cracked and departed aircraft.  Landed at local field.  No structural or significant damage. Adhered to instructions and transfered plane to home airport.  Not sure what caused the problem; it happened very quickly.  It may have been a bird strike; as there are lots of birds in the area.  I did not however; find any marks or indications of such.  The canopy is a bubble type so it could have been that the object deflected completely off the plane.  Had been flying for some time so I know the latches were all locked.  Inspection of the hinges and latches did not indicate anything unusal.
An Extra 300L canopy departed in flight after cracking for reasons unknown since no hinge or structural damage was found.