What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 11/02/98 pilot Douglas w. case (pilot certificate 001434852 ATP) at 1101 MST was on the takeoff phase of a VFR local part 91 flight from Tucson, AZ, in his Cessna 185-A185E (SN1363) N185Z, when the pilot seat slid aft. When the seat moved aft Mr. Case lost control of the aircraft damaging the rt wing and stablizer, right side and right elevator. Mr. Case was not injured. (.19)on November 2, 1998, at 1101 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 185, N185Z, ground looped and departed runway 11L on the takeoff roll at the Tucson, Arizona, airport. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The pilot stated in an interview with a federal aviation administration airworthiness inspector from the scottsdale, Arizona, flight standards district office, that on takeoff his seat slid backwards and he was unable to reach the rudder pedals or throttle. (.4) on the takeoff roll the pilot's seat slid back. The aircraft made an abrupt turn to the left, while the pilot was attempting to move the seat back into place. After the unsucce ssful attempt was made to move the seat back into place, the pilot retarded the throttle and the aircraft came to a stop after a ground loop. The seats were inspected and found to be stiff and difficult to move fore and aft. The seat rails and latching mechanisms were inspected and no deficiencies were noted.
As the FAA filed it
ON 11/02/98 PILOT DOUGLAS W. CASE (PILOT CERTIFICATE 001434852 ATP) AT 1101 MST WAS ON THE TAKEOFF PHASE OF A VFR LOCAL PART 91 FLIGHT FROM TUCSON, AZ, IN HIS CESSNA 185-A185E (SN1363) N185Z, WHEN THE PILOT SEAT SLID AFT. WHEN THE SEAT MOVED AFT MR. CASE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGING THE RT WING AND STABLIZER, RIGHT SIDE AND RIGHT ELEVATOR. MR. CASE WAS NOT INJURED. (.19)ON NOVEMBER 2, 1998, AT 1101 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 185, N185Z, GROUND LOOPED AND DEPARTED RUNWAY 11L ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL AT THE TUCSON, ARIZONA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.THE PILOT STATED IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR FROM THE SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA, FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE, THAT ON TAKEOFF HIS SEAT SLID BACKWARDS AND HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE RUDDER PEDALS OR THROTTLE. (.4) ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT'S SEAT SLID BACK. THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN ABRUPT TURN TO THE LEFT, WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO MOVE THE SEAT BACK INTO PLACE. AFTER THE UNSUCCE SSFUL ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO MOVE THE SEAT BACK INTO PLACE, THE PILOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP AFTER A GROUND LOOP. THE SEATS WERE INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO MOVE FORE AND AFT. THE SEAT RAILS AND LATCHING MECHANISMS WERE INSPECTED AND NO DEFICIENCIES WERE NOTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.