Cessna 172K accident near West Milford, New Jersey, October 21, 2005
On October 21, 2005 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N46475, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Milford, New Jersey (Greenwood Lake Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of aircraft control as a result of the installation of an improper pilot seat which moved during the takeoff roll/run..
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2005 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- West Milford, New Jersey · Greenwood Lake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N46475 · no longer on the register · serial 17257293
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot initiated the takeoff roll, and as the airplane accelerated, the pilot's seat slid back to its aft most limit. As a result, the airplane departed the runway, impacted bushes, and incurred substantial damage. A review of the airplane's maintenance logbooks revealed that a new set of seat rails had been installed in the airplane about 31 flight hours prior to the accident. Examination of the seat rails revealed that the inboard rail had been modified with the addition of 5 locking pin holes. The airplane was originally equipped with a single locking pin type seat; however, a dual locking pin type seat was installed. Selection of any seat position, other that the three most aft positions, resulted in partial engagement of a single locking pin, while the other locking pin rested on top of the opposite seat rail. This combination of seat and seat rails was improper.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 13 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4N1 West Milford NJ
- Destination: 4N1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.