Incident Overview
A student pilot was conducting a touch-and-go landing. During the subsequent takeoff roll, the pilot's seat slid backward. The pilot lost directional control, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway. It struck a ditch and nosed over.
Post-Crash Examination
A mechanic examined the seat assembly after the accident. The inspection found that the tension spring on the seat latch assembly had broken. The latch pin and the seat track it engages were undamaged.
Seat Latch Mechanism
The latch pin is attached to a handle operated by the pilot. Moving the handle downward lowers the pin into one of the holes in the seat track, securing the seat in place. The spring assists the downward movement of the handle and pin.
Manufacturer Guidance
The Cessna 152 Pilot's Operating Handbook instructs pilots to confirm that the seat is locked in place after releasing the handle.