Cessna 172M N4464R

Summary

On 5 February 2026 at about 21:15 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N4464R was involved in an accident near Nampa, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 February 2026 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Nampa, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Nampa Municipal (MAN)

Coordinates

43.5811, -116.5230

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N4464R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Murphy

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR26LA102

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to verify that the seat locking pins were fully engaged before takeoff, which allowed the seat to slide aft during the takeoff roll and resulted in a loss of directional control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a personal proficiency flight in a rented airplane to practice right-seat operations. During the takeoff roll, after application of full engine power, the right seat slid aft along the seat track to the full rearward position. The pilot was unable to reach the rudder pedals and lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane exited the left side of runway, crossed the grass infield, and impacted a hangar, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot stated that he positioned the seat fully forward before takeoff and confirmed engagement of the locking mechanism by rocking the seat. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the seat assembly and seat rails operated as designed, with no mechanical anomalies. It was noted that when the seat was placed full forward against the seat stop, the locking pins could partially align with the forward engagement holes or could contact the seat stop mounting screw. In such cases, the locking pins may feel or appear engaged, thus giving the impression that the seat is locked in place. Examination of the forward seat stop revealed that the mounting screws installed were not the screws specified in the aircraft maintenance manual. However, the installed screw's head shape was similar to that of the specified screw. It could not be determined whether the installed screw affected the function of the seat rail system. The airplane had completed an annual inspection the day before the accident, which included compliance with Airworthiness Directive 20111009 (inspection of the seats and seat rails). The pilot reported no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. It’s likely that the right seat locking pins were not fully engaged in the seat track engagement holes at the time of takeoff, which allowed for it to slide aft, resulting in the pilot’s loss of directional control during the takeoff roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.