20000307013089A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 150E · Reedley, CA · March 7, 2000

Date: March 7, 2000 · 15:30 local
Place: Reedley, CA
Airport: Reedley Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6194T
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX00LA120
Reported as: Cessna 150E
Reported engine: Lycoming O320E2D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,253 total37 in this make and model

N6194TRegistered now · Cessna 150ES/N 15060894 · Built 1964 Airframe modelCessna 150E Engine modelContinental 0-200 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Seat slipped on tracks during engine start. Pilot couldn't reach pedals well enough to avoid hitting a light standard with the left wing. Found seat to be improperly installed. (.4)on March 7, 2000, at 1530 hours pacific standard time, a Cessna 150E, N6194T, was substantially damaged when the left wing tip impacted a pole during taxi for takeoff at Reedley, California. The private certificated pilot was not injured. The local area, personal flight was operated by the owner under 14 CFR part 91 and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot reported that as she started to taxi following engine start, her seat slipped back and she lost directional control of the aircraft. The pilot, who is 69 inches tall, reported she was unable to attain full rudder deflection for nose wheel steering or full use of the brakes. The tip of the left wing struck a pole before she could regain control. The aft spar of the wing buckled near the wing root.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SEAT SLIPPED ON TRACKS DURING ENGINE START. PILOT COULDN'T REACH PEDALS WELL ENOUGH TO AVOID HITTING A LIGHT STANDARD WITH THE LEFT WING. FOUND SEAT TO BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. (.4)ON MARCH 7, 2000, AT 1530 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 150E, N6194T, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE LEFT WING TIP IMPACTED A POLE DURING TAXI FOR TAKEOFF AT REEDLEY, CALIFORNIA. THE PRIVATE CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL AREA, PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE OWNER UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS SHE STARTED TO TAXI FOLLOWING ENGINE START, HER SEAT SLIPPED BACK AND SHE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT, WHO IS 69 INCHES TALL, REPORTED SHE WAS UNABLE TO ATTAIN FULL RUDDER DEFLECTION FOR NOSE WHEEL STEERING OR FULL USE OF THE BRAKES. THE TIP OF THE LEFT WING STRUCK A POLE BEFORE SHE COULD REGAIN CONTROL. THE AFT SPAR OF THE WING BUCKLED NEAR THE WING ROOT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX00LA120Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportReedley, CAA loose seat latch which permitted the seat to move aft to a position where the pilot could no longer reach the controls.Mar 7, 2000 · Substantial damage