After refueling his airplane at the airport in Homosassa Springs, Florida, and while waiting to start the engine after an unsuccessful attempt, the pilot was approached by an airport tenant who offered some alternate engine-start advice.
When subsequent attempts to start the Piper J-3’s engine failed, the pilot decided to attempt an engine start by manually rotating the propeller while the tenant adjusted the engine controls from outside the airplane.
The engine started at a high RPM. The Cub departed from the chocks and hit an unoccupied parked airplane, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage.
The pilot was able to shut the engine down and observed that the throttle was in the “halfway position.”
The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to confirm the throttle position before attempting to start the airplane’s engine by manually rotating the propeller, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
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This March 2024 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.
Hey Buddy—engine won’t start?
Watch this!!!
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Good thing he didn’t get chopped up!😱
Good news is it didn’t hurt or kill anyone. Sounds like someone else’s plane is probably out of service a while. Now, should either of these two be allowed in any airplane again. They did have insurance, right?
Hey, here’s a great idea, what could go wrong?
What a broken record with hand propping!
Either tie it down or have a qualified pilot on the brakes. Just as bad as running out of gas!!!
Or check the throttle.