What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 02, 2024, at 1700 local time, a Cessna 182 aircraft, privacy data omitted, registered to and flown by a private pilot sustained minor damage following a loss of control and subsequent impact with runway PAPI lights during departure from the Oscoda county/dennis kauffman memorial airport (51M), Mio, Michigan. VFR meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and 3 passengers received no injuries.
According to the pilot, he had been working on the aircraft that day and had removed the front seats. Apparently while reinstalling the seats, he failed to reinstall the seat rail blocks that prevent the seat from coming off the rails while being slid fore and aft.
Later that day, the pilot reported, he, his wife, and 2 friends were going to fly to pellston, Michigan for dinner. All passengers were loaded and secured, and the pilot adjusted his seat for the flight, ensuring the locking seat pin was engaged with the seat rail.
Upon takeoff, during the rotation, the pilots seat went to the most rearward position and slid off the seat rail. The pilot states he immediately let go of the control yoke to prevent the aircraft from departing the runway and stalling. The pilot states he was able to pull power, but by that time, the aircraft had veered to the left and left the runway surface, finally striking a set of PAPI lights. Once the aircraft came to rest, the pilot secured the aircraft, then he and his passengers exited without incident.
Photographs show crush damage to the left-wing leading edge at the wing strut connection point. There was no damage to the wing spar or strut. The propeller exhibited damaged due to impact and sudden stoppage. No other damage was reported.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 02, 2024, AT 1700 LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA 182 AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, REGISTERED TO AND FLOWN BY A PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH RUNWAY PAPI LIGHTS DURING DEPARTURE FROM THE OSCODA COUNTY/DENNIS KAUFFMAN MEMORIAL AIRPORT (51M), MIO, MICHIGAN. VFR METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND 3 PASSENGERS RECEIVED NO INJURIES.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE AIRCRAFT THAT DAY AND HAD REMOVED THE FRONT SEATS. APPARENTLY WHILE REINSTALLING THE SEATS, HE FAILED TO REINSTALL THE SEAT RAIL BLOCKS THAT PREVENT THE SEAT FROM COMING OFF THE RAILS WHILE BEING SLID FORE AND AFT.
LATER THAT DAY, THE PILOT REPORTED, HE, HIS WIFE, AND 2 FRIENDS WERE GOING TO FLY TO PELLSTON, MICHIGAN FOR DINNER. ALL PASSENGERS WERE LOADED AND SECURED, AND THE PILOT ADJUSTED HIS SEAT FOR THE FLIGHT, ENSURING THE LOCKING SEAT PIN WAS ENGAGED WITH THE SEAT RAIL.
UPON TAKEOFF, DURING THE ROTATION, THE PILOTS SEAT WENT TO THE MOST REARWARD POSITION AND SLID OFF THE SEAT RAIL. THE PILOT STATES HE IMMEDIATELY LET GO OF THE CONTROL YOKE TO PREVENT THE AIRCRAFT FROM DEPARTING THE RUNWAY AND STALLING. THE PILOT STATES HE WAS ABLE TO PULL POWER, BUT BY THAT TIME, THE AIRCRAFT HAD VEERED TO THE LEFT AND LEFT THE RUNWAY SURFACE, FINALLY STRIKING A SET OF PAPI LIGHTS. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, THE PILOT SECURED THE AIRCRAFT, THEN HE AND HIS PASSENGERS EXITED WITHOUT INCIDENT.
PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW CRUSH DAMAGE TO THE LEFT-WING LEADING EDGE AT THE WING STRUT CONNECTION POINT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE WING SPAR OR STRUT. THE PROPELLER EXHIBITED DAMAGED DUE TO IMPACT AND SUDDEN STOPPAGE. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS REPORTED.