Amateur-built Aero Canard accident near Statesville, North Carolina, December 12, 2007
On December 12, 2007 at about 3:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Aero Canard, registered N199JW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesville, North Carolina (Statesville Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent opening of the canopy during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 2007 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · Statesville Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Aero Canard
- Registration
- N199JW · no longer on the register · serial 0020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the amateur-built Aero Canard was departing on a local flight, the canopy opened as the airplane lifted off the runway. After the airplane had climbed to an altitude of about 100 feet above the ground, a fabric cover exited the cockpit, and went through the wooden propeller assembly located aft of the fuselage. The airplane continued to climb slowly, and subsequently impacted trees and the ground. A shredded fabric cover and 1-foot sections of each propeller blade tip were located near the runway. All other portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. Examination of the main canopy latch mechanism and a secondary "safety" latch did not reveal evidence of any preimpact failures; however, the position of the latches at the time of the takeoff could not be determined. The airplane's most recent inspection was performed about the time the pilot purchased the airplane, which was approximately 6 months 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 505 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 63 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SVH Statesville NC at 2:55 pm
- Destination: SVH Statesville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 7,006 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 2:42 pm from SVH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.