N31939 – HOLT HERBERT L LONG EZ – 2010-08-29 NTSB Accident Report

On August 29, 2010, a Holt Herbert L LONG EZ (N31939) was involved in an incident near Afton, WY. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to securely lock the canopy prior to takeoff, which allowed the contents of the cabin to exit the airplane and damage the propeller. Contributing to the severity of the damage was the subsequent fire that ensued.

The pilot indicated that he performed a normal preflight inspection of his airplane, loaded baggage into the back seat, placed a canvas canopy cover on top of the baggage, and proceeded to takeoff. The pilot had not securely locked the canopy into the closed position. After accelerating to about 70 mph, the canopy partially opened, and the canvas cover exited the airplane. It impacted the pusher propeller and a blade shattered. The pilot aborted the takeoff, but due to vibrations the nose wheel broke off before he was able to stop. During the sequence, the airplane was substantially damaged by the fire. The pilot opined that a fuel line broke due to the severe engine vibration or an impact from the nose wheel.

This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR10CA437. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N31939.