The pilot reported that, during a hand propeller start at the airport in Geneseo, N.Y., the tailwheel-equipped Piper J-5A was secured by having the passenger stand in front of the horizontal stabilizer.
As he rotated the propeller with the throttle “cracked,” the engine started, but “it ran fast enough” to break the passenger’s hold.
As the airplane began to move forward, he grabbed onto the lower right-wing strut in an attempt to enter the airplane.
Subsequently, he let go, the left main landing gear ran over his shoulder, and the airplane stuck maintenance equipment.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that the throttle was “cracked a little more than it should have been.”
He added that he did not use wheel chocks before attempting the start.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly secure the airplane before a hand propeller start, which resulted in the airplane moving forward and colliding with maintenance equipment.
NTSB Identification: GAA17CA560
This September 2017 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Here’s yet another story of someone who wasn’t taught, nor ever learned the proper way to hand prop an aircraft engine. Do it the right way and be safe, or don’t do it at all.
All very lucky they still have their lives.
Back in 1961, the same thing happened to a student hand propping an Aeronca Champ at our little grass field. It started but he had opened the throttle all the way to unflood the engine but forgot to turn the mag switch off. He grabbed a wing strut but couldn’t reach the throttle and the airplane ran around in a tight circle with him holding on. Finally it got away from him and ran up the back of a Piper J-5A that was parked close by. Messed up both airplanes pretty bad. His instructor was a friend of mine, a fellow airline pilot, who did some instructing on the side. He got out of the instructing business after that. The J-5 was parted out and the Champ was purchased from our flying club and rebuilt.