- Date
- January 19, 2007, 18:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Ashland, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9392XCessna 182E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report May 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO, Cessna Aircraft Company
- Case key
- 65194
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 locking pin.
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 of the Cessna 182E reported that he was conducting night proficiency takeoffs and landings. The first two takeoffs and landings occurred normally; however, after the third takeoff, just after the airplane had lifted off the runway, the pilot's seat slipped all the way to the rear stops. The pilot then pulled the throttle back to prevent a further climb, and the airplane landed hard on the runway. A subsequent examination of the seat rails, seat rail pinholes, seat adjustment pin and coil spring by a manufacturer's representative and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed no anomalies. Airworthiness Directive 87-20-03 R2 had been complied with, and an annual inspection had been performed about 7 months earlier. Another FAA inspector, about the same size of the pilot, subsequently tested the seat locking mechanisms while sitting in the seat. He found that when the seat locking pin was secured in any of the pin holes, he could not move the seat. However, when the seat pin was not securely locked in a hole, with "very little" weight shift, the seat would slide backwards to the rear stops without the pin engaging any of the pinholes.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the Cessna 182E reported that he was conducting night proficiency takeoffs and landings. The first two takeoffs and landings occurred normally; however, after the third takeoff, just after the airplane had lifted off the runway, the pilot's seat slipped all the way to the rear stops. The pilot then pulled the throttle back to prevent a further climb, and the airplane landed hard on the runway. A subsequent examination of the seat rails, seat rail pinholes, seat adjustment pin and coil spring by a manufacturer's representative and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed no anomalies. Airworthiness Directive 87-20-03 R2 had been complied with, and an annual inspection had been performed about 7 months earlier. Another FAA inspector, about the same size of the pilot, subsequently tested the seat locking mechanisms while sitting in the seat. He found that when the seat locking pin was secured in any of the pin holes, he could not move the seat. However, when the seat pin was not securely locked in a hole, with "very little" weight shift, the seat would slide backwards to the rear stops without the pin engaging any of the pinholes.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9392X
- Reported as
- Cessna 182E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18253792
- Airframe hours
- 5,130
- Engine
- Continental O-470, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Darin Dunham
- Registered owner
- IFR, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2006
- Departed
- OFP · Ashland, VA
- Destination
- Ashland, VA
- Airport
- OFP · Hanover County, runway 34
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 139 total · 73 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 9, 2007, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 MB in all.