# NTSB LAX04LA020: Cessna 170, N3979V, San Diego, CA, October 20, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 19, 2003, 17:00 local (Oct 20, 2003, 00:00 UTC) - Place: San Diego, CA - Coordinates: 32.815555, -117.139442 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8156&lon=-117.1394&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58216 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04LA020 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58216/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=58216 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA020 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which failed to determine the security of his seat, and his failure to maintain directional control. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - flare/touchdown - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuselage,seat - unlatched (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - crosswind - ground loop/swerve - encountered, pilot in command - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane ground looped off the runway when the pilot's seat slid aft during landing. The pilot said that when he flared for landing he heard a "click" and then his seat slid backwards about 1 foot, restricting his ability to reach the controls. The pilot tried to adjust his seat position to regain access to the airplane's controls, but the airplane entered a left ground loop and came to rest left of the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined and photographed the pilot's seat. He reported that the seat track locking pin was positioned outside the seat track. He observed that the side floor deck was buckled, the seat was structurally deformed, and the seat locking pin was outside the seat rail and roller, all indicative of impact related damage. The inspector stated that he could not make a reliable determination of pin position prior to the impact damage. ## Factual narrative On October 19, 2003, at 1700 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 170, N3979V, veered off the runway while landing at Montgomery Field, San Diego, California. Plus One Flyers was operating the rental airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot was not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. The personal flight originated at MCAS Miramar, San Diego, about 1645. The pilot told the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that as he flared for landing, the tail wheel touched the runway, and then he heard a "click." At that time the seat slid backwards about 1 foot, restricting his ability to reach the controls. The pilot tried to adjust his seated position to regain access to the airplane's controls, but the airplane entered a ground loop to the left and came to rest left of the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined and photographed the pilot's seat. He reported that the seat track locking pin was positioned outside the seat track. Examination of the photographs of the pilot's seat and rail showed that the side floor deck was buckled, the seat was structurally deformed, and the seat locking pin was positioned outside the seat rail and roller. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3979V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3979V), registered now, S/N 18298, built 1948 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 170 - Registry model: [Cessna 170](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170) (registry code 2072302) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C145 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (registry code 17012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18298 - Airframe hours: 3101 - Engines: Continental C-145 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Plus One Flyers, doing business as Flying Club - Registered owner: Barron Elsworth - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 2, 2003, 12 hours before - Departed: KNKX, San Diego, CA - Destination: KMYF, San Diego, CA - Airport: KMYF, Montgomery Field, runway 28, 4,577 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 22, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 382 total, 6 in this make and model, 336 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 340° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KMYF ## 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 20031019034289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031019034289A), Oct 19, 2003: Cessna 170, San Diego, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) On Sunday October 19, 2003 N3979V a 1948 Cessna C170 was involved in an accident while conducting a full stop landing at Montgomery field (myf) San Diego… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 19, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=58216. 974 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 421 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411771&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statements (item 2, .PDF, 180 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411772&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Wreckage Diagram (item 3, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40215120&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Wreckage%20Diagram-Master.PDF - Report from FAA (item 4, .PDF, 173 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411773&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20from%20FAA-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Logbook Extract (item 5, .PDF, 142 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40215122&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Logbook%20Extract-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. --- 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.