The reporting pilot's seat back broke.

Attributes
ACN	272536
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 2g6
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : eri
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1520 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	272536
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Since this was a long (5 hour) flight in my PA-28-180, I had the seat partially reclined. I leaned back to stretch, when I heard a loud 'crack' and felt the seat back fall to nearly a horizontal position. The seat back would not stay in an erect position. I found 2 bolt heads that had strapped off on the floor. I tried using one to jam the seat back up, but it fell out after awhile. I was able to use some cushions as temporary back support and land without incident. Had this failure occurred during takeoff, it could have been hazardous.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTING PLT'S SEAT BACK BROKE.

Narrative: SINCE THIS WAS A LONG (5 HR) FLT IN MY PA-28-180, I HAD THE SEAT PARTIALLY RECLINED. I LEANED BACK TO STRETCH, WHEN I HEARD A LOUD 'CRACK' AND FELT THE SEAT BACK FALL TO NEARLY A HORIZ POS. THE SEAT BACK WOULD NOT STAY IN AN ERECT POS. I FOUND 2 BOLT HEADS THAT HAD STRAPPED OFF ON THE FLOOR. I TRIED USING ONE TO JAM THE SEAT BACK UP, BUT IT FELL OUT AFTER AWHILE. I WAS ABLE TO USE SOME CUSHIONS AS TEMPORARY BACK SUPPORT AND LAND WITHOUT INCIDENT. HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED DURING TKOF, IT COULD HAVE BEEN HAZARDOUS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.