Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1 accident near Tomball, Texas, October 1, 1998
On October 1, 1998 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1, registered N527SS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tomball, Texas (David Wayne Hooks Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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 canopy, which resulted in the canopy separating from the airplane during takeoff initial climb. A factor was the pilot's failure to detect the canopy warning light prior to takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1998 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tomball, Texas · David Wayne Hooks Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1
- Registration
- N527SS · no longer on the register · serial 10090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff, at about 400 feet, the canopy separated from the airplane. The pilot turned the airplane back towards the airport and landed without further incident. The pilot reported that he did not explain to the passenger that the right side of the canopy needed to be latched before takeoff. The pilot also reported that he did not observe the canopy warning light during taxi to the runway, nor did he complete the 'Canopy-Secure' portion of the pre-takeoff checklist.
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: 14 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 680 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 25, 1998; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,609 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912/F3 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Academy International
The flight
- Departed from: DWH at 5:30 pm
- Destination: CLL College Station TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 3,997 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.