Runway excursion Accident Evektor Sportstar Plus N319SV, Wednesday 29 May 2013

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Date:	Wednesday 29 May 2013
Time:	20:00
Type:	Evektor Sportstar Plus
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N319SV
MSN:	20070916
Year of manufacture:	2007
Total airframe hrs:	1363 hours
Engine model:	Rotax 912ULS
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Elyria, OH - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Elyria, OH (KLPR)
Destination airport:	Elyria, OH (KLPR)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot stated that, during initial climb after performing a touch-and-go landing, the airplane's canopy opened to the forward position. The pilot landed the airplane on the remaining runway; however, the airplane departed the runway end, struck a landing threshold light, and came to rest upright. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the canopy latch spring had failed. In addition, the spring mounting plate used to hold the spring in position did not have a relief area machined into the plate, which was required for the correct operation of the spring. The spring and assembly had been installed about 32 hours before the accident. Therefore, the installation of an improper part in the canopy latch assembly caused the canopy latch spring to fail, which resulted in the canopy opening during initial climb.
Probable Cause: The failure of the canopy latch spring, which caused the canopy to open during initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the installation of an improper part in the canopy latch assembly, which led to the failure of the canopy latch spring.

Accident investigation: