Pilot Debrief

VANS RV4 near Conroe, TX — 2026-05-13

Final reportCEN26LA205
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Date
2026-05-13
Location
Conroe, TX, USA
Airport
CXO
Aircraft
VANS RV4
Registration
N292M
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to properly latch the canopy before flight, which led to the canopy opening shortly after takeoff.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, the canopy opened on his experimental airplane because he failed to properly latch it before takeoff. He was unable to close the canopy after it opened and decided to land the airplane straight ahead on the remaining runway. The airplane subsequently overran the departure end of the runway and came to rest in the grass. The engine mount sustained substantial damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

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