The fatal crash of an RV6A at Chelsea in Victoria may have been the result of a canopy coming open in flight, according to an accident report released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).
VH-JON crashed into the bayside suburb on 14 October 2014 after taking off from Moorabbin. The aircraft climbed to 2900 feet before descending rapidly. Witnesses reported seeing objects falling from the aeroplane before impact.
The objects, a medical certificate, pitot cover, nav bag, licence, ERSA and a hand-held radio, were the sort of items expected to be carried in the cockpit, leading the ATSB to consider that they fell out of the aircraft through an open canopy. The canopy on the aircraft opened by tilting upward and forward.
"The liberation of the items from the aircraft's interior indicated the canopy likely opened in-flight. However, this was based on the assumption that the items were initially inside the cabin," the accident report states.
"Examination of the primary and secondary canopy locks found varying degrees of damage and one component was missing. Therefore the state of the locking mechanisms prior to the impact could not be established.
"It was possible that the pilot was startled and distracted after the canopy opened due to severe cockpit wind, noise and debris flying about. Though, the extent to which this contributed to the occurrence was unknown."
During the investigation, the ATSB gathered evidence that an opening canopy in an RV6 has in the past caused a pronounced nose-down pitch.
The ATSB came to the conclusion that the crash was the result of the canopy opening in flight, causing a loss of control from which the pilot did not recover.
In repsonse to a safety issue arising from this crash, kit manufacturer Van's Aircraft has developed a service letter highlighting the consequences of a canopy opening in flight, particularly the style the tilts upwards and forwards.
The full investigation report is on the ATSB website.