Amateur-built HIGH 6 BERKUT 540 accident near Orlando, Florida, January 20, 2025
On January 20, 2025 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 2019 amateur-built HIGH 6 BERKUT 540, registered N976DR, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Orlando, Florida (Exec 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to verify the canopy latches were in the locked position prior to takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 2025 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Exec · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HIGH 6 BERKUT 540, built 2019
- Registration
- N976DR · registry record · serial PP-007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff the canopy departed from the airplane. The pilot assessed that the propeller of the pusher-configured engine had been damaged based on the deceleration of the airplane and subsequently landed on the opposite direction runway without further incident. The airplane’s canopy was substantially damaged during the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and that the accident could have been prevented by, “…verifying both canopy handles were in the locked position before takeoff.”
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 › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › (general) › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, military, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,845 hours in all; 642.1 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,420 as pilot in command; 534 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 5, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,399 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2025; 0.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming Engines IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 452 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 6,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.33 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from ORL
Weather report (METAR): METAR KORL 201353Z 36010KT 10SM OVC120 06/00 A3033 RMK AO2 SLP274 T00610000=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA25LA102.