Probable cause
Failure of the pilot's seat back due to a sheared bolt during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion.
NTSB analysis
The pilot reported that his seat back collapsed during the landing roll and he lost sight of the runway. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and impacted the segmented circle markers surrounding the windsock, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot's seat back was found disconnected on the left side of the seat base assembly attach point. The bolt head that attached the seat back to the seat base had sheared off from the seat back assembly. The bolt was removed and later misplaced, and was not available for further examination; therefore, its failure mode could not be determined.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA19LA194 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Mar 9, 2019
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Mount Holly, New Jersey
- Nearest airport
- South Jersey Regional (VAY)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172
- N-number
- N7367G
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1970
- 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.