# NTSB CEN13IA355: Rockwell International 114, N5832N, Lapeer, MI, May 21, 2013

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: May 21, 2013, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: Lapeer, MI
- Coordinates: 43.066387, -83.271385 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0664&lon=-83.2714&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 24, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 87229
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13IA355
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87229/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87229
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13IA355

## Probable cause

The malfunction of the pilot’s seat-latching mechanism due to a bent rod, which allowed the seat to come loose and slide full aft and resulted in a temporary loss of airplane control.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Maintenance/inspections](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010500): Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service · Inadequate inspection; cases with it: [Rockwell International 114, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010500/cases.md?model=7630314), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010500/cases.md)
- [Fuselage: seat/cargo attach fitting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035347): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Not inspected; cases with it: [Rockwell International 114, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035347/cases.md?model=7630314), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035347/cases.md)
- [Fuselage: seat/cargo attach fitting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035347): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Rockwell International 114, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035347/cases.md?model=7630314), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035347/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Rockwell International 114, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7630314), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Rockwell International 114, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7630314), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was conducting a postmaintenance test flight with the owner acting as copilot. During the landing roll, the pilot's seat came loose and slid full aft. The right wing came up while the pilot's hand was still on the flight controls. He instructed the copilot to take the controls and keep the airplane on the runway. The left wingtip and aileron sustained minor damage during the incident sequence; however, the damage was not discovered until 3 weeks after the incident. An examination of the seat-latching mechanism revealed that the metal rod that locked the seat in place was bent. When aft pressure was applied to the seat, the bent rod released from the latch hole in the seat track, which allowed the seat to slide.

## Factual narrative

On May 21, 2013, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Rockwell International 114 airplane, N5832N, struck its left wingtip on the ground during landing at the Dupont-Lapeer Airport (D95), Lapeer, Michigan. The pilot and copilot were not injured and the airplane sustained minor damage. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from D95 about 1300. The pilot stated that in October of 2012, he flew the airplane with the owner and the left seat slid full aft during climb-out. He told the owner to have the seat fixed before the next flight. According to Lapeer Aviation, they told the owner to have the seat rails replaced, but the owner declined. In May of 2013, the pilot flew with the owner again to diagnose auto-pilot system issues. The pilot asked if the owner had the seat fixed, to which the owner replied yes. The seat did not move during the flight. On the day of the incident, the pilot was conducting a test flight after maintenance was performed on the auto-pilot system. During the one hour test flight, there were no issues with the seat. During landing rollout, the pilot's seat came loose and slid full aft. The right wing came up while the pilots hand was still on the flight controls. He instructed the copilot to take the controls and keep the airplane on the runway. The copilot was able to lower the right wing and land the airplane. They did not feel or hear anything unusual so the pilot taxied the airplane to the hangar. The left wingtip and aileron sustained minor damage during the incident sequence and was not discovered until three weeks later. The seat rail was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and it was determined that the metal rod, which latched the seat in place, was bent. When aft pressure was applied to the seat the bent rod would release from the latch hole and allow the seat to come loose.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5832N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5832N), registered now, S/N 14381, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL 114
- Registry model: [Rockwell International 114](https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-114) (registry code 7630314) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 14381
- Airframe hours: 2842
- Engines: LYCOMING I0-540 280 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Flight test, Part 91
- Operator: Ron Keil
- Registered owner: Mario Bielawski
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 21, 2012, 50 hours before
- Departed: D95, Lapeer, MI
- Destination: D95, Lapeer, MI
- Airport: D95, Dupont-Lapeer, runway 18, 3,800 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 9, 2012; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,940 total, 5 in this make and model, 3,783 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observed at: D95

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 20130521009289I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130521009289I), May 21, 2013: Rockwell International 114, Lapeer, MI, Minor damage. On landing flare after a maintenance test flight for an autopilot malfunction, the pilot's seat disengaged from the seat rail and slid aft, the pilot told the…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 31, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87229. 1.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Owner) (item 1, .PDF, 501 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409222&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20(Owner)-Redacted.PDF
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409224&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20(Pilot)-Redacted.PDF
- Miscellaneous - Owners Group (item 3, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409228&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20-%20Owners%20Group-Redacted.PDF
- Miscellaneous - Service Difficulty Report (item 4, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409231&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20-%20Service%20Difficulty%20Report-Master.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.

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