- Date
- August 27, 2000, 09:22 local (16:22 UTC)
- Place
- Cameron Park, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2443CCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 1, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000827006849A
- Case key
- 50128
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
failure of the pilot to verify the seat latch was secure, resulting in the pilot's inability to reach the flight controls necessary to maintain directional control.
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 backwards when takeoff power was applied. His airplane was equipped with a secondary friction lock, but the seat only stopped momentarily. As the seat slid further aft, he reduced power. The airplane started to drift left, but he could not reach the rudder pedals. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, completed about 270 degrees of turn, and the right main gear collapsed.
Factual narrative
On August 27, 2000, at 0922 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 180, N2443C, sustained substantial damage when it ground looped during the takeoff roll from the airport at Cameron Park, California. The private pilot/owner was operating the airplane on a personal flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot sustained minor injuries, and his passenger was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot stated he pushed the seat handle down after moving his seat to the desired position; however, his seat slid backwards when takeoff power was applied. His airplane was equipped with a secondary friction lock, but the seat only stopped momentarily. As the seat slid further aft, he reduced power. The airplane started to drift left, but he could not reach the rudder pedals. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and completed about 270 degrees of turn. The right main gear collapsed resulting in damage to the gearbox.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2443C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30743
- Airframe hours
- 3,970
- Engine
- Continental IO-550-D16B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert C. Petersen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 24, 2000
- Departed
- 061
- Destination
- RNM · Ramona, CA
- Airport
- O61 · Cameron Airpark, runway 31, 4,060 × 60 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,855 total · 810 in this make and model · 48 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 151 °F, dew point 131 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAC, 30 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2001, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 506 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.