ESSEX, NY, USA
N215NY
CESSNA 172I
WITNESSES STATED ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE NEAR THE SLIGHT RISE IN THE RWY, APRX 1500 FT DOWN THE RWY, AND CLIMBED TO APRX 60 FT AGL. ACFT SHUTTERED AND NOSE OF ACFT PITCHED UP. LEFT WING AND NOSE THEN DROPPED. ACFT CONTINUED DESCENDING TO THE LEFT ACROSS A SMALL RAVINE WHICH PARALLELED THE RWY, CRASHING INTO THE EASTERLY SIDE OF A RAVINE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED SEAT STOPS WERE NOT FOUND IN PLTS SEAT RAIL. STOP SCREW WAS FOUND ON CABIN FLOOR NEAR LOCATION OF HOLE PROVIDED FOR SEAT STOP IN INBOARD TRACK OF SEAT. 1/2 OF THE BROKEN SEAT STOP WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT CHANNEL OF THE RIGHT PLTS SEAT TRACK APRX 1 INCH FORWARD OF THE INSTALLATION HOLE. THE SEAT TRACK SURFACE WAS SCORED AND ALL HOLES IN THE TRACK WERE ELONGATED. THE SEAT ROLLERS WERE REPLACED IN 1979 DUE TO SLIPPAGE. ACFT CONTAINEDA SEAT SLIPPAGE WARNING PLACARD, 'INSURE AIRCRAFT SEATS ARE POSITIVELY LOCKED BEFORE TAKEOFF AND LANDING.'
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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