NTSB Report on Bill Phillips' Accident

"bildan" wrote

Finally, one has to consider the effect of a large jolt of adrenalin
when added to Bill's drug cocktail. It's possible that he could have
dealt with flying the airplane under non-emergency conditions but not
with the stress and adrenalin of an open canopy.

The adrenalin theory may be true, but I favor the John Denver type scenario.

If you turn around to the left (to turn a fuel valve or close a canopy, you
turn to the left, 99.9% of the time. Low to the ground, with clothes and
probably some dirt from the floorboards blowing around in your eyes, you
have an ideal accident chain continuing onward.
--
Jim in NC