# Accident 19970320003779A: Piper PA16, Abilene, TX, March 20, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 20, 1997, 17:35 local time
- Place: Abilene, TX
- Airport: Elmdale Airpark Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.4500° N, 99.7302° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.4500&lon=-99.7302&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6883K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6883K) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-16 (registry code 7101602, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA16
- Reported engine: LYC O290C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 14,000 total, 35 in this make and model, 110 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA139) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970320003779A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW97LA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA139), Mar 20, 1997: Piper PA-16 (N6883K), Abilene, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The unlatching of the front bench seat for an undetermined reason.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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