Cessna 180B accident near Monroe, Georgia, July 26, 1992
On July 26, 1992 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 180B, registered N9581B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monroe, Georgia (Monroe-Walton County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT'S SEAT ASSEMBLY FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON(S) WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1992 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, Georgia · Monroe-Walton County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180B · all 180Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9581B · no longer on the register · serial 32878
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED TO 20 MPH, DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT'S SEAT ASSEMBLY COLLAPSED AND HE WAS DISPLACED AFT FROM THE PILOT'S STATION. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS OUT OF REACH OF THE FLIGHT AND THROTTLE CONTROLS, AND COULD NOT REDUCE THE THROTTLE. THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT AND GROUND LOOPED. AFTER THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRPLANE, THE AIRPLANE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE ENTIRE AIRPLANE AND LEFT SEAT ASSEMBLY. THE FAILED SEAT COMPONENT WAS ALSO DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. IN HIS REPORT, THE PILOT SAID THAT THE 'SEAT FAILED TO STAY LOCKED.' HOWEVER, DURING A LATER TELEPHONE CONVERSATION, HE STATED THAT THE RIGHT REAR PORTION OF THE SEAT APPEARED TO HAVE COLLAPSED. HE DID NOT RECALL THAT THE ENTIRE SEAT ASSEMBLY MOVED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,204 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1991; 193 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K19 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:05 pm from AHN, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.