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20031019034289A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 170 · San Diego, CA · October 19, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 19, 2003 · 18:08 local
Place
San Diego, CA
Airport
Montgomery Field Airport
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3979V
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX04LA020
Reported as
Cessna 170
Pilot’s flight hours
346 total3 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days
N3979VRegistered now · Cessna 170S/N 18298 · Built 1948Airframe modelCessna 170Engine modelContinental C145 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) On Sunday October 19, 2003 N3979V a 1948 Cessna C170 was involved in an accident while conducting a full stop landing at Montgomery field (myf) San Diego California. As the aircraft was in the final flare portion of its landing, the pilot stated that his seat, became dislodged from its locking device and slid rearward causing him to be unable to control the rudder on the aircraft as it touched down. Upon touching down, the aircraft veered sharply to the right (north) and exited runway 28R onto a soft field area, causing the left gear to collapse and the left wing and control surface to strike the ground. The aircraft sustained major damage. The pilot was not injured. Examination of the pilots seat pin locking device revealed that the pin was outside the seat track, preventing it from locking the seat into position. It was later determined that the pin was in this position due to the force of the impact bending the support rods on the seat, allowing the pin to become dislodged. At this time it is unknown why the seat became dislodged. NTSB and Cessna aircraft investigators are examining further possibilities.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 19, 2003 N3979V A 1948 CESSNA C170 WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE CONDUCTING A FULL STOP LANDING AT MONTGOMERY FIELD (MYF) SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE FINAL FLARE PORTION OF ITS LANDING, THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS SEAT, BECAME DISLODGED FROM ITS LOCKING DEVICE AND SLID REARWARD CAUSING HIM TO BE UNABLE TO CONTROL THE RUDDER ON THE AIRCRAFT AS IT TOUCHED DOWN. UPON TOUCHING DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT (NORTH) AND EXITED RUNWAY 28R ONTO A SOFT FIELD AREA, CAUSING THE LEFT GEAR TO COLLAPSE AND THE LEFT WING AND CONTROL SURFACE TO STRIKE THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. EXAMINATION OF THE PILOTS SEAT PIN LOCKING DEVICE REVEALED THAT THE PIN WAS OUTSIDE THE SEAT TRACK, PREVENTING IT FROM LOCKING THE SEAT INTO POSITION. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE PIN WAS IN THIS POSITION DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT BENDING THE SUPPORT RODS ON THE SEAT, ALLOWING THE PIN TO BECOME DISLODGED. AT THIS TIME IT IS UNKNOWN WHY THE SEAT BECAME DISLODGED. NTSB AND CESSNA AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATORS ARE EXAMINING FURTHER POSSIBILITIES.

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 LAX04LA020Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSan Diego, CAthe pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which failed to determine the security of his seat, and his failure to maintain directional control.Oct 20, 2003 · Substantial damage