Cessna 180B accident near Waterloo, Iowa, June 6, 2015
On June 6, 2015 at about 5:49 pm local time, a 1958 Cessna 180B, registered N5067E, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Waterloo, Iowa (Waterloo Rgnl 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 incorrect installation of the secondary seat stop reel which resulted in the pilot's loss of control when the seat moved full aft during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2015 · about 5:49 pm local time
- Place
- Waterloo, Iowa · Waterloo Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180B, built 1958 · all 180Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5067E · registry record · serial 50367
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, the seat slid to its full aft position. He was unable to reach the control pedals and attempted to abort the takeoff. The pilot was not able to control the airplane and it yawed left into a ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer, right wing, and right aileron. A postaccident examination by the NTSB Investigator-in-Charge and Textron Aviation revealed the secondary seat stop reel was not installed according to the manufacturer's guidelines. The incorrect installation prevented the primary seat adjustment mechanism from fully engaging into the holes in the seat rail.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Flight compartment equipment › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,941 hours in all; 445 in this make and model; 253 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 9,725 as pilot in command; 250 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors O-470-K (piston); 4,840 hours total
- Operator: Rickenbach Brothers Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ALO Waterloo IA at 6:42 pm
- Destination: 88C Palmyra WI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 6,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from KALO, 1 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 July 30, 2015. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Textron Seat Examination Report | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Certification of Party Representative | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 1 – Right Wing (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 2 – Horizontal Stabilizer (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | 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.