Accident Sequence
Ground witnesses reported the airplane appeared to accelerate normally but lifted off prematurely in a nose-high attitude. The airplane then began to settle and appeared to climb momentarily. When the airplane reached the departure end of the runway, it was still maintaining a nose-high attitude and appeared to stall. The airplane's right wing dropped and its nose rotated to a near vertical nose-down attitude before ground impact. The witnesses reported that the engine sounded normal throughout the accident sequence.
Wreckage Examination
The wreckage examination revealed that the pilot's seat was jammed in a rearward position and the seat retention pin was disengaged. Cessna Service Letter SEB89-2, dated April 14, 1989, relating to a seat secondary locking device, was not accomplished. The airworthiness directive, 87-20-03, concerning the inspection of the seat rail tracks, was complied with about 160 hours before the accident.
Operational Context
No further details regarding the aircraft type, registration, operator, location, date, time of day, weather, ATC involvement, or occupant injuries were provided in the investigation source.