Incident Overview
The pilot of a small airplane reported that just prior to touchdown, he was unable to apply full up elevator. The airplane bounced on landing and yawed to the right. The pilot applied full left rudder and brake, but the airplane continued toward nearby trees. He then applied right rudder and brake in an attempt to intentionally ground loop the airplane to avoid the trees. However, the left wing contacted the trees, and the airplane spun around to the left before coming to a stop.
Inspection Findings
A post-accident inspection of the airplane revealed that the rear seat cushion was mounted on a piece of plywood that was not securely fastened to the seat structure or the airframe. This lack of secure attachment allowed the seat cushion to move forward, which in turn restricted the movement of the control yoke.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was the rear seat cushion moving forward due to insecure mounting, which restricted the pilot's ability to apply full up elevator during landing.