Canopy/seat belts

[Brantel]

I have always warned the folks that ride in my plane that the canopy will not keep them inside the aircraft and to always keep their seatbelt fastened.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-tenn-search-man-fell-plane-18843610#.UVZoasHzxNt.email

 

[RickWoodall]

Kind of sad..

How is it possible that both a pilot in training AND a cfi.....and no seat belt...unbelievable.

That goes above and beyond a simple miss....brutal. Cant imagine the trip back to earth and what both cfi and free faller would have been thinking... Yikes...

 

[Brantel]

http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/22115690/article-Body-of--pilot-is--found?instance=homesecondleft

 

[RonRV8]

NTSB preliminary report

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20130330X85743&key=1

 

[N546RV]

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20130330X85743&key=1

This still seems like an odd story. It seems very counterintuitive for a tip-forward canopy to spontaneously open in flight.

 

[N546RV]

Update: After watching this video, apparently it's quite possible for a tip-up to open in flight, and not in a small amount either. Combine that with a negative-G push, and suddenly it's quite plausible for someone unrestrained to evacuate the cockpit...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGv0JqKJse4

 

[airguy]

Wow....

 

[Smilin' Jack]

WOW is right, I too thought quite differently about the accident until I saw this, a scared students pushing the aircraft down and possibly locking the stick forward...
In 3000 hrs of instructions I have had 1 student panic to the point I had to knock his hands free of the yoke.

Makes your rethink what could have happen and never to assume...like I did that a canopy could never open a foot or more in flight...

Gee I have had many Cessna doors pop open only a 1/2 inch or so...


Smilin' Jack

 

[alpinelakespilot2000]

Double check your Crow rotary latches!

One thing that is now definitely on my pre-take off checklist is to check my passenger's seatbelts. I've found that with my Crow rotary latch it is a bit tricky to get the shoulder harness buckles fully engaged. You can often insert it thinking it's locked but then pull out with a little tug. You really need to make sure you hear the positive click.

 

[mvidalr]

always wear a chute

IMHO whoever enters my plane during the first couple dozen hours after certification will always have to fly with emergency parachute on their back and be aware of emergency egress procedures.. after this, only for acro flight of intentional abrupt maneuvers.

flying experimentals with only a seatbelt will be a no-go even if it gets uncomfortable. many bad things can happen

sorry for the loss of the private pilot