Amateur-built WAIEX accident near Doylestown, Pennsylvania, March 22, 2021
On March 22, 2021 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 2019 amateur-built WAIEX, registered N220JD, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Doylestown, Pennsylvania (Doylestown Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glidepath during landing. Contributing to the accident was his failure to ensure the canopy locks were properly configured prior to flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2021 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Doylestown, Pennsylvania · Doylestown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WAIEX, built 2019
- Registration
- N220JD · no longer on the register · serial WXB0029
- 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 performing maintenance on his airplane and running the engine at full throttle to verify the exhaust gas temperature was within limits. He said that after the last adjustment and anticipating another adjustment, he only latched the canopy enough to keep it in place while performing a test run on the ground. After the test run was performed, the pilot departed without properly securing the canopy. Shortly after takeoff, the canopy was “ripped off” the airplane and while returning to the runway, the approach was too low and the airplane contacted trees on short final. The airplane landed short of the runway and did “two pancakes” resulting in substantial damaged to the fuselage, and firewall. The pilot further stated there were no mechanical failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
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
- Part(s) separation from AC during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › (general) › Related operating info
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 94 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 14, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Sonex AeroVee Turbo (piston); 8 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from DYL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 5, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photo's | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.