Probable cause
The pilot's failure to properly secure his seat before initiating the takeoff, which resulted in the seat sliding back as the airplane accelerated during takeoff, his inability to reach the pedals, and the subsequent loss of directional control and impact with trees and shrubs.
NTSB analysis
The private pilot was taking off for a personal, cross-country flight. He reported that, at rotation, the pilot's seat "abruptly slid backwards to the outermost distance from the controls." As a result, the pilot could no longer reach the pedals to maintain directional control, and his aileron input could not counteract the airplane's left-turning tendency. The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway, struck trees and shrubs, and then came to rest upright. The wings, fuselage, and empennage sustained substantial damage.
According to the pilot, except for the pilot seat, the airplane performed as designed with no other anomalies noted. Examination of the pilot's seat revealed no anomalies with the installation, dimensions, or operation. The seat moved freely fore and aft with no binding or anomalous operation noted. During postaccident functional testing of the seat, when twisting forces to the right were applied to the seat and while being slid forward, the seat position locking pin could be partially engaged, but not all the pins would seat, and the control handle would not go fully down nor could it be forced into position. Straightening or forward movement of the seat resulted in full pin engagement with the control handle in the fully down position. Given this information, it is likely that the pilot applied a twisting force when moving the seat and did not fully engage the seat position locking pins before initiating the takeoff, which resulted in the seat subsequently sliding back as the airplane accelerated during takeoff and the pilot's subsequent loss of directional control.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA18LA253 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Sep 16, 2018
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Montauk, New York
- Nearest airport
- Montauk (MTP)
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cirrus SR22
- N-number
- N161DL
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2014
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.