What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 17, 2003, susan baker, flight instructor, was giving landing instruction to kathleen emmons at Front Range Airport in a Cessna 172P (N98969). She was in the process of completing their 6th touch and go. While susan was applying takeoff power, her seat released to the full rear position and she lost all pedal, yoke and engine control of the aircraft. Susan stated that her normal seat position while flying a C-172 is in the full forward position, the position she was in at the time of release. The aircraft left runway 26L heading west with 2-6 feet of altitude and under full power. The aircraft then veered to the left, striking the left wing tip in the grass and continuing on across taxiway 7 and the parallel taxiway. The aircraft crossed the grass separating the taxiway and the parking ramp struck a C-172 (N5484K) in the right tail section, causing subtantial damage to both aircraft. The aircraft powerplant stopped upon collision and the aircraft came to rest 35 feet from impact. Susan stated that both she and her student had adjusted and locked their seats in the full forward position prior to first flight engine start at centennial, where the flight originated. Awaiting response from Cessna engr.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 17, 2003, SUSAN BAKER, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, WAS GIVING LANDING INSTRUCTION TO KATHLEEN EMMONS AT FRONT RANGE AIRPORT IN A CESSNA 172P (N98969). SHE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING THEIR 6TH TOUCH AND GO. WHILE SUSAN WAS APPLYING TAKEOFF POWER, HER SEAT RELEASED TO THE FULL REAR POSITION AND SHE LOST ALL PEDAL, YOKE AND ENGINE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. SUSAN STATED THAT HER NORMAL SEAT POSITION WHILE FLYING A C-172 IS IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION, THE POSITION SHE WAS IN AT THE TIME OF RELEASE. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT RUNWAY 26L HEADING WEST WITH 2-6 FEET OF ALTITUDE AND UNDER FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT THEN VEERED TO THE LEFT, STRIKING THE LEFT WING TIP IN THE GRASS AND CONTINUING ON ACROSS TAXIWAY 7 AND THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE GRASS SEPARATING THE TAXIWAY AND THE PARKING RAMP STRUCK A C-172 (N5484K) IN THE RIGHT TAIL SECTION, CAUSING SUBTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT POWERPLANT STOPPED UPON COLLISION AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 35 FEET FROM IMPACT. SUSAN STATED THAT BOTH SHE AND HER STUDENT HAD ADJUSTED AND LOCKED THEIR SEATS IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION PRIOR TO FIRST FLIGHT ENGINE START AT CENTENNIAL, WHERE THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED. AWAITING RESPONSE FROM CESSNA ENGR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.