Service difficulty report · Seat Frame · Piper PA28140

Difficulty date
August 2, 2015
Submitted
August 3, 2015
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N1205T
Make and model
Piper PA28140
Aircraft serial
287225422
Aircraft time
8,877 hours
Part
Seat Frame
Condition
Broken
Location
Cockpit
Part time
8,877 hours
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
C

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

PILOTS SEAT FRAME BROKE COMPLETELY THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 2" FORWARD OF SEAT BACK ATTACHMENT CAUSING PILOT TO FALL BACKWARDS TOWARD THE REAR SEATS. EVENT HAPPENED WITH A STUDENT PILOT IN THE PILOT SEAT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR IN THE RT SEAT JUST PRIOR TO TAKING THE RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF. INSTRUCTOR TAXIED BACK TO FLIGHT SCHOOL RAMP SINCE STUDENT WAS UNABLE TO TAXI DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE SEAT. AFTER FURTHER EXAMINATION OF SEAT, MECHANIC FOUND THE TUBULAR STRUCTURE FORWARD PART OF THE SEAT BACK ATTACH POINT WAS BROKEN COMPLETELY THROUGH. THE BREAK AREA REVEALED DISCOLORATION THAT PROVES THE CRACK HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE FACT THAT THE SEAT CUSHION IS GLUED TO THE TUBE STRUCTURE REQUIRES COMPLETE DISSASSEMBLY OF THE SEAT TO FACILITATE ADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE TUBE STRUCTURE. DISASSEMBLY OF THE CO-PILOT'S SEAT REVEALED BENDING IN THE TUBE STRUCTURE BUT NO CRACKS. THIS DISSASEMBLY IS NOT REQUIRED BY THE MFG OR BY AD TO DETECT CRACKS AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS/FATAL INJURY WHILE IN THE TAKEOFF PHASE IF SIMILAR FAILURE WERE TO OCCUR IN OTHER ACFT.

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