What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Accident pilot was performing takeoff and landing activities. During his third takeoff of the day, the accident pilot advanced the throttle to full and the pilot seat moved fully aft. The seat came to a rest against the seat stops. The accident pilot was unable to reach the controls, however, he was able to retard the throttle before the aircraft departed the runway.
The cause is attributed to an incorrectly installed pilot’s seat. The front left seat rail guide was not engaged with the rail, and it positioned the seat too high to prevent complete engagement of the seat adjustment rod. The seat would lock, however, when enough force is applied to the back of the seat the adjustment rod would disengage and allow movement.
The aircraft has damage to the prop; firewall appears undamaged. The right horizontal stabilizer impacted the ground when the aircraft rolled into a drainage ditch at approx. 35 mph. The empennage appears to have a lateral twist; right side low, left side high. Compression and tension damage on the top and bottom of both horizontal stabilizers is consistent with the reported impact type and speed. It is likely the empennage bulkhead is damaged along with the stringers in the tail.
The seat was removed and reinstalled by the privacy data omitted/pilot to facilitate other preventative maintenance. He is not a certificated mechanic, however, § 43.3 allows the pilot to perform this function.
Reviewed aircraft logbooks and found the annual inspection for the aircraft and engine was current. 91.411 and 91.413 inspections were current. It was determined the aircraft met airworthiness inspection requirements.
As the FAA filed it
ACCIDENT PILOT WAS PERFORMING TAKEOFF AND LANDING ACTIVITIES. DURING HIS THIRD TAKEOFF OF THE DAY, THE ACCIDENT PILOT ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO FULL AND THE PILOT SEAT MOVED FULLY AFT. THE SEAT CAME TO A REST AGAINST THE SEAT STOPS. THE ACCIDENT PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE CONTROLS, HOWEVER, HE WAS ABLE TO RETARD THE THROTTLE BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY.
THE CAUSE IS ATTRIBUTED TO AN INCORRECTLY INSTALLED PILOT’S SEAT. THE FRONT LEFT SEAT RAIL GUIDE WAS NOT ENGAGED WITH THE RAIL, AND IT POSITIONED THE SEAT TOO HIGH TO PREVENT COMPLETE ENGAGEMENT OF THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT ROD. THE SEAT WOULD LOCK, HOWEVER, WHEN ENOUGH FORCE IS APPLIED TO THE BACK OF THE SEAT THE ADJUSTMENT ROD WOULD DISENGAGE AND ALLOW MOVEMENT.
THE AIRCRAFT HAS DAMAGE TO THE PROP; FIREWALL APPEARS UNDAMAGED. THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER IMPACTED THE GROUND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED INTO A DRAINAGE DITCH AT APPROX. 35 MPH. THE EMPENNAGE APPEARS TO HAVE A LATERAL TWIST; RIGHT SIDE LOW, LEFT SIDE HIGH. COMPRESSION AND TENSION DAMAGE ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE REPORTED IMPACT TYPE AND SPEED. IT IS LIKELY THE EMPENNAGE BULKHEAD IS DAMAGED ALONG WITH THE STRINGERS IN THE TAIL.
THE SEAT WAS REMOVED AND REINSTALLED BY THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^/PILOT TO FACILITATE OTHER PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE. HE IS NOT A CERTIFICATED MECHANIC, HOWEVER, § 43.3 ALLOWS THE PILOT TO PERFORM THIS FUNCTION.
REVIEWED AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS AND FOUND THE ANNUAL INSPECTION FOR THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE WAS CURRENT. 91.411 AND 91.413 INSPECTIONS WERE CURRENT. IT WAS DETERMINED THE AIRCRAFT MET AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8400X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.