The pilot of the multiengine Cessna 441 reported that he had preflighted the airplane about two hours before his intended departure and asked ground crew at the airport in Liberal, Kansas, to reposition the airplane.
When the pilot was ready for departure, he reported that he did not do another preflight, but only walked around the nose of the airplane to get to the entrance door.
After he started both engines, the airplane would not taxi forward.
The pilot told investigators that he thought that he set the brakes, reduced both engines to an idle power setting, and exited the airplane.
He saw a chock on the airplane’s nosewheel, and after he removed the chock, the airplane began to move forward.
He attempted to reboard the unoccupied airplane. However, he was unable to and the airplane collided with a hangar, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage.
The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, failure to set the parking brake, and his decision to exit the airplane with engines running to remove a wheel chock, resulting in the airplane’s unintended movement and subsequent collision with a hangar.
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This December 2022 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.
A 441 with two big ol’ Garrett turbine engines turning and he didn’t consider it might roll at idle power?
Please, don’t let that airperson in any airspace around me.
Well that one really scores high on the list of Stupid Pilot Tricks for this year. We usually see these sorts of accidents occurring due to bad procedures for hand propping. Just goes to show that even the pilots of big aircraft can do some of the same things that the very basic aircraft do.
Ground crew always chalk the airplanes just to make sure they don’t roll. He didn’t do his walk around like he should have.
I would agree…but not removing his chocks was the least careless thing he did.
Considering the pilot’s decision-making abilities, this incident likely saved his life. There’s no telling what other bad decisions might have been made once airborne.
I suppose there was a split second decision, run for the door …… or just put the chock back.
Just unbelievable …….!!!!
Could have called the FBO.
Try explaining this one to the boss!
Come on, dude. How hard is it to shut down the engines and set the parking brake before exiting the airplane? A classic case of “Haste makes waste.”