Cessna 182 accident near Brevard, North Carolina, March 13, 2019
On March 13, 2019 at about 10:10 pm local time, a 1961 Cessna 182, registered N8905X, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Brevard, North Carolina (Transylvania Community 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
The mechanic's failure to notice that the left front seat left front roller housing disengaged from the seat rail during recent maintenance, and the pilot's failure to detect the disengaged roller housing during the preflight inspection, which resulted in the seat sliding backward during takeoff and a subsequent loss of airplane directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2019 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Brevard, North Carolina · Transylvania Community · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 D, built 1961 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N8905X · no longer on the register · serial 18253305
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed a preflight inspection after the airplane had undergone maintenance and no anomalies were noted. He boarded the airplane, adjusted the seat, and then verified that it was locked in position. Shortly after beginning the takeoff roll, his seat slid backward. He was unable to reach the rudder pedals, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination revealed that the pilot seat’s left front roller housing was disengaged from the seat rail. The seat rail exhibited scoring on top of the rail, which likely occurred during the accident sequence. No scoring was noted on the sides of the rail. The roller housing was not splayed or damaged, indicating that it did not pull off the rail during the accident sequence. Although the seat rail holes were slightly worn, the pin did not exhibit any anomalies. The mechanic stated that he did not remove the pilot's seat to perform the maintenance that he completed before the accident flight; however, given the lack of side damage to the rails and the fact that the left front seat roller housing was not splayed, it is likely that the roller housing came off the rails during the maintenance and went unnoticed by both the mechanic and the pilot, which resulted in the seat sliding backward during takeoff.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Replacement › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Seat/cargo attach fitting › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 294 hours in all; 294 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 240 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 18, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,265 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 2018; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 SERIES (piston); 4,265 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3NR3 Brevard NC at 10:10 pm
- Destination: AVL Asheville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,903 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from AVL, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector Notes and Memo for Record | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records Excerpts | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Owner's Manual Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.