What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During take off roll the pilot's seat moved aft. Pilot pulled the throttle off, but loss directional control of the aircraft. This was due to the seat moving to FAR aft, he could not reach the yoke and rudder pedals. Aircraft was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological condition prevailed and pilot was not injuried. (.4) on August 27, 2000, at 0922 hours pacific daylight time, a Cessna 180, N2443C, sustained substantial damage when it ground looped during the takeoff roll from the airport at Cameron Park, California. The private pilot/owner was operating the airplane on a personal flight under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The pilot sustained minor injuries, and his passenger was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot stated he pushed the seat handle down after moving his seat to the desired position; however, his seat slid backwards when takeoff power was applied. His airplane was equipped with a secondary friction lock, but the seat only stopped momentarily. As the seat slid further aft, he reduced power. The airplane started to drift left, but he could not reach th e rudder pedals. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and completed about 270 degrees of turn. The right main gear collapsed resulting in damage to the gearbox.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING TAKE OFF ROLL THE PILOT'S SEAT MOVED AFT. PILOT PULLED THE THROTTLE OFF, BUT LOSS DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS DUE TO THE SEAT MOVING TO FAR AFT, HE COULD NOT REACH THE YOKE AND RUDDER PEDALS. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITION PREVAILED AND PILOT WAS NOT INJURIED. (.4) ON AUGUST 27, 2000, AT 0922 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 180, N2443C, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT GROUND LOOPED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL FROM THE AIRPORT AT CAMERON PARK, CALIFORNIA. THE PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND HIS PASSENGER WAS UNINJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT STATED HE PUSHED THE SEAT HANDLE DOWN AFTER MOVING HIS SEAT TO THE DESIRED POSITION; HOWEVER, HIS SEAT SLID BACKWARDS WHEN TAKEOFF POWER WAS APPLIED. HIS AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SECONDARY FRICTION LOCK, BUT THE SEAT ONLY STOPPED MOMENTARILY. AS THE SEAT SLID FURTHER AFT, HE REDUCED POWER. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO DRIFT LEFT, BUT HE COULD NOT REACH TH E RUDDER PEDALS. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COMPLETED ABOUT 270 DEGREES OF TURN. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE GEARBOX.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.