Amateur-built COZY accident near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, May 9, 2010
On May 9, 2010 at about 8:45 pm local time, a amateur-built COZY, registered N144TJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pine Bluff, Arkansas (Girder Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent opening of the cockpit canopy during cruise flight for undetermined reasons, which allowed debris to impact and damage the pusher propeller with a resulting total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2010 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pine Bluff, Arkansas · Girder Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built COZY III
- Registration
- N144TJ · no longer on the register · serial 452
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was in cruise flight when the right-side hinged cockpit canopy suddenly opened to about a 90-degree up position. The pilot’s headset and several other loose items in the cockpit exited the airplane. The pilot subsequently experienced a “large vibration” in the engine. With the engine producing partial power, the pilot elected to perform an emergency descent. About 4 miles from the airport, the engine experienced a total loss of power, and the pilot executed a forced landing on a busy five-lane road. After missing several vehicles, the airplane struck and damaged the rear of a car and came to rest in a ditch on the side of the road. A postaccident examination of the canopy’s primary and secondary latch system revealed that the secondary latch system exhibited an overstress fracture of the spring steel hook and had separated. The overstress fracture likely occurred during due to the canopy opening; the reason for the inadvertent opening of the canopy could not be determined. The damage to the rear mounted pusher propeller was consistent with debris from the cabin striking the propeller when the canopy opened in flight.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute (cruise)
- Part(s) separation from AC during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (descent)
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Ground collision during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Cabin safety event during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › Flight compartment windows › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › (general) › Damaged/degraded
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 4, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 4, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLU Monroe LA at 8:10 pm
- Destination: RST Rochester MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PBF, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.