# NTSB ATL00LA020: Cessna 170B, N3276A, Oakland, AL, December 29, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 29, 1999, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Oakland, AL - Coordinates: 34.879203, -87.800155 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8792&lon=-87.8002&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 18, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 48390 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL00LA020 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48390/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=48390 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00LA020 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to verify that his seat was locked prior to takeoff. The subsequent bounce on takeoff enabled the seat to shift aft thereby reducing the pilot's access to controls leading to the inadvertent loss of control and ground impact with trees. Contributing factors were rough and uneven runway surface and the trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - miscellaneous equipment - not verified, pilot in command (cause) - fuselage,seat - slipped - aircraft control - reduced - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, takeoff - roll/run - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to the pilot, as the airplane accelerated for the takeoff, the landing gear rolled over a rut in the runway surface and the airplane bounced. When the airplane bounced, the pilot reported that his seat moved rearward, he could not reach the flight controls, and he lost control of the airplane. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and collided with trees. An examination of the runway surface revealed that the clay and gravel runway had ruts in the center of the takeoff area. The examination of the airplane seat assembly revealed that both the seat rails and the seat locking pins were in serviceable condition. ## Factual narrative On December 29, 1999, at 1600 central standard time, a Cessna 170B, N3276A, collided with trees during an attempted takeoff from a sod strip near Oakland, Alabama. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot was not injured. The flight departed Oakland, Alabama, at 1600. According to the pilot, as the airplane accelerated for the takeoff, the landing gear rolled over a rut in the runway surface and the airplane bounced. When the airplane bounced, the pilot reported that his seat moved rearward, he could not reach the flight controls, and he lost control of the airplane. The airplane veered off the left side of runway 12 and collided with trees. An examination of the runway surface revealed that the clay and gravel runway had ruts in the center of the takeoff area. The examination of the airplane seat assembly revealed that both the seat rails and the seat locking pins were in serviceable condition. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3276A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3276A-2020-10-10), registration cancelled 2020-10-10, S/N 25920, built 1953 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 170B - Registry model: [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b) (registry code 2072306) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C145 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (registry code 17012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25920 - Airframe hours: 1607 - Engines: Continental C-145 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Thomas M. Walker III - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 1, 1999, 14 hours before - Airport: Private, runway 12, 2,000 × 40 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 2,628 total, 48 in this make and model, 2,508 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MSL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19991229037209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991229037209A), Dec 29, 1999: Cessna 170B, Oakland, AL, Substantial damage. (-23) During landing roll the aircraft bounced hard over ruts in the dirt airstrip. The pilots seat slid back causing the pilot to lose control of the… ## Other investigations on N3276A (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB GAA19CA445](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA445), Jul 19, 2019: Cessna 170 (N3276A), Phoenix, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and the right wing striking the ground. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 11, 2000, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=48390. 594 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 400 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411848&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Accident/Incident Report (item 2, .PDF, 194 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411847&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Accident%2FIncident%20Report-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.