Amateur-built EXPERIMENTAL accident near Sitka, Alaska, October 18, 1996
On October 18, 1996 at about 7:52 pm local time, a amateur-built EXPERIMENTAL, registered N239AH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sitka, Alaska (Sitka airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to follow the checklist and secure the cockpit door/canopy.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1996 · about 7:52 pm local time
- Place
- Sitka, Alaska · Sitka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EXPERIMENTAL EXPERIMENT
- Registration
- N239AH · registry record · serial SA101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was in a hurry, and was trying to complete his takeoff before the arrival of an inbound jet. He stated that he did not lock the cockpit canopy. During takeoff, approximately 10 feet in the air, the canopy came open, and the airplane fell to the runway and was damaged.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 185 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 19, 1996; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,375 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SIT at 2:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.