- Date
- August 13, 1998, 10:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Hillsboro, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N78SCCessna T337E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980813020699A
- Case key
- 43736
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 disengagement of the pilot seat forward and aft movement locking pin, followed by the pilot's seat sliding to the rear of the seat track.
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
While attempting a touch-an-go landing, the pilot's seat locking pin disengaged, allowing the seat to slide to its full aft position. As the pilot tried to get his seat forward while holding onto the control yoke, the aircraft rolled to the left and impacted the terrain. During the investigation it was determined that AD 87-20-03 R2 (seat track visual inspection) had been signed off as complied with on 12/18/97, as part of the last annual inspection. The seat track and locking pin were also inspected by the FAA Airworthiness Inspector who responded to the accident, with no discrepancies found.
Factual narrative
On August 13, 1998, approximately 1015 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna T337E, N78SC, impacted the terrain between the runway and the taxiway at Portland-Hillsboro Airport, Hillsboro, Oregon. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, received minor injuries, and the aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 proficiency flight, which was being conducted in the traffic pattern, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and the ELT, which was set off by the impact, was turned off at the scene.
According to the pilot, he had done a number of touch-and-go landings with no indication of any problem. But, while he was in the flare for another landing, the pilot's seat forward and aft movement locking pin disengaged, and his seat slid to its full aft position. As the seat began to move aft, the pilot grabbed the control wheel in his left hand and "...apparently moved the control wheel to the left." As the aircraft was rolling to the left, the pilot was able to move his seat forward, but he was unable to roll the aircraft back to a wings-level attitude prior to impacting the terrain.
During the investigation it was determined that AD 87-20-03 R2 (seat track visual inspection) had been signed off as complied with on 12/18/97, as part of the last annual inspection. The seat track and locking pin were also inspected by the FAA Airworthiness Inspector who responded to the accident, with no discrepancies found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N78SC
- Reported as
- Cessna T337E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 33701235
- Airframe hours
- 3,000
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cyr, Steven M.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 23, 1998 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- HIO
- Airport
- HIO · Portland-Hillsboro, runway 30, 6,600 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 260 total · 60 in this make and model · 137 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 1998, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB 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.