What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Bench seatback fell rearward on takeoff roll. Full power. Ground loop ensued. Twisted fuselage. Seat latch weak. (-23) during the take off roll of this conventional gear aircraft, the seat broke and the student pilot and flight instructor went over on their backs causing a loss of control, which resulted in a ground loop. Post accident investigation revealed the seat adjustment pin came out of the locking hole allowing the seat to slide back to the point where it became uncaptured and it rolled over. The aircraft suffered substantial damage to the empanage, fuselage, and right wing.
As the FAA filed it
BENCH SEATBACK FELL REARWARD ON TAKEOFF ROLL. FULL POWER. GROUND LOOP ENSUED. TWISTED FUSELAGE. SEAT LATCH WEAK. (-23) DURING THE TAKE OFF ROLL OF THIS CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRCRAFT, THE SEAT BROKE AND THE STUDENT PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WENT OVER ON THEIR BACKS CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN A GROUND LOOP. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT PIN CAME OUT OF THE LOCKING HOLE ALLOWING THE SEAT TO SLIDE BACK TO THE POINT WHERE IT BECAME UNCAPTURED AND IT ROLLED OVER. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE EMPANAGE, FUSELAGE, AND RIGHT WING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.