- Date
- December 17, 2008, 12:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Sheridan, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9619TCessna 210
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 69597
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
Maintenance personnel's failure to reinstall the left front pilot's seat correctly, which resulted in the pilot's loss of control and subsequent impact with a taxiway sign.
Findings · 2
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
During the preflight inspection the pilot noticed a small amount of hydraulic oil pooled by the trim wheel. In order to troubleshoot the problem, maintenance personnel removed the left front pilot's seat and then reinstalled it when the problem was resolved. After adding full power and during the takeoff roll the pilot's seat abruptly slid to the full back position, resulting in the airplane veering sharply to the left as the pilot's feet left the rudder pedals. In order to avoid taxi signs on the left side of the runway, the pilot rotated, but then heard something strike the airplane. Airborne, the pilot managed to get the seat forward, climb to pattern altitude, and land uneventfully. After securing the airplane the pilot noticed that the left front seat had not been reinstalled in the seat rail, but was resting on top of it. Damage to the airplane consisted of a propeller strike, a hole in the undercarriage, and damage to both horizontal stabilizers.
Factual narrative
During the preflight inspection the pilot noticed a small amount of hydraulic oil pooled by the trim wheel. In order to trouble shoot the problem maintenance personnel removed the left front pilot's seat and then reinstalled it when the problem was resolved. After adding full power and during the takeoff roll the pilot's seat abruptly slid to the full back position, resulting in the airplane veering sharply to the left as the pilot's feet left the rudder pedals. In order to avoid taxi signs on the left side of the runway the pilot rotated, but then he heard something strike the airplane. Airborne, the pilot managed to get the seat forward, climb to pattern altitude, and land uneventfully. After securing the airplane the pilot noticed that the left front seat had not been reinstalled in the seat rail, but was resting on top of it. Damage to the airplane consisted of a propeller strike, a hole in the undercarriage, and damage to both horizontal stabilizers.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9619T
- Reported as
- Cessna 210
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 57419
- Airframe hours
- 3,244
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental IO-470, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Daleray Madewell
- Registered owner
- Madewell Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 11, 2008
- Departed
- SHR · Sheridan, WY
- Destination
- DGW · Douglas, WY
- Airport
- SHR · Sheridan County Airport, runway 23, 5,039 × 75 ft, gravel
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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- June 3, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 206 total · 192 in this make and model · 149 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 23 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Observed at
- SHR
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 6, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 825 KB in all.
Other investigations on N9619T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.