Amateur-built CLAPP-SABERWING accident near Valdosta, Georgia, December 7, 2024
On December 7, 2024 at about 4:27 pm local time, a 2019 amateur-built CLAPP-SABERWING, registered N100SW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Valdosta, Georgia (Valdosta Regional 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
A hard landing and subsequent gear collapse due to the pilot’s failure to securely close the airplane canopy and its subsequent opening on short final.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 2024 · about 4:27 pm local time
- Place
- Valdosta, Georgia · Valdosta Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CLAPP-SABERWING, built 2019
- Registration
- N100SW · registry record · serial CLAPP05
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings and reported that while maneuvering through the traffic pattern, the canopy became partially opened. The canopy was equipped with two side latches and one main latch at the rear of the canopy. The right-side latch held the canopy partially secured until the final approach segment when it also released, and the canopy opened completely. The airplane subsequently nosed down and contacted the ground nose first just short of the runway whereupon the nose landing gear separated from the airplane and the main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot was seriously injured. The pilot reported forgetting to lock the main rear latch to the canopy after opening it during taxi. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach (VFR pattern final)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › Passenger/crew doors › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 359 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 321 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 30, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2024; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Corvair Corvair/spide (piston); 340 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 8,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from VLD
Weather report (METAR): KVLD 071653Z 06005KT 10SM CLR 12/M07 A3039 RMK AO2 SLP300 T01171067
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 April 22, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA25LA070.