- Date
- May 30, 2001, 07:20 local (12:20 UTC)
- Place
- Victoria, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N201EXCessna 182K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010530010899A
- Case key
- 52383
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which resulted in an unsecured seat which slipped aft on takeoff.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot's seat "slid back" about the time the airplane rotated on takeoff. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the airstrip and struck the trees near the departure end. The FAA inspector reported that the seat track pin holes were within the manufacturer's limits. The pilot stated that the installation of a safety lock on the seat track could have prevented the accident.
Factual narrative
On May 30, 2001, at 0720 central daylight time, a Cessna 182K airplane, N201EX, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees during takeoff from a private grass airstrip near Victoria, Texas. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported to the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, that his seat "slid back" about the time the airplane rotated. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the airstrip and struck the trees near the departure end. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The right horizontal stabilizer’s leading edge was torn and crushed aft to its spar. Both the left wing skin and fuselage skin were wrinkled.
The FAA inspector reported that the seat track pin holes were within the manufacturer's limits. The pilot stated that the installation of a safety lock on the seat track could have prevented the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N201EX
- Reported as
- Cessna 182K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18257642
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerry W. Crabtree
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 2000
- Departed
- NONE · Victoria, TX
- Airport
- NONE · Private, runway 040, 2,000 × 50 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 28, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 900 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- VCT
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2001, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 407 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.