- Date
- August 20, 2019, 09:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- Arlington, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N180TBCessna 180
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 17, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190820015429A
- Case key
- 100135
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 failure to properly secure the seat before takeoff, which resulted in it sliding back during takeoff and rendering him unable to reach the rudder pedals and throttle lever, a subsequent runway excursion, ground loop, and impact with a berm.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, before takeoff, he adjusted his seat. During takeoff, his seat slid back, and he was not able to reach the rudder pedals or throttle lever. The airplane accelerated, veered left, exited the runway to the left, ground looped, and impacted a berm. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, prior to takeoff, he adjusted his seat. During takeoff, his seat slid back and he was not able to reach the rudder pedals or throttle lever. The airplane accelerated, veered left, exited the runway to the left, ground looped, and impacted a berm. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N180TB
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051273
- Built
- 1963
- Airframe hours
- 3,512.2
- Engine
- Continental Pponk conversation O-47050, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AWO · Arlington, WA
- Destination
- W10 · Langley, WA
- Airport
- AWO · Arlington Muni, runway 34, 5,332 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Waiver time limited special
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 28,246 total · 1,706 in this make and model · 20,942 as pilot in command · 240 in the last 90 days · 105 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KAWO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 643 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.