During engine start in strong gusty wind condition reporter apparently fell from aircraft when engin...

Attributes
ACN	110490
Time
Date	198905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ma07
State Reference	ME
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 64 flight time total : 3925
ASRS Report	110490
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was parked on the apron to an small transport waiting to set up an aerial banner that was scheduled to go up at xa. It was still early so I decided to move the plane from its present position to a grassy area so it would not be blocking the apron. The procedure used to start this plane is to open the throttle to establish a fuel flow of 8 gph with the primer pump, and when the engine starts, pull the throttle back to about 1100 RPM. I entered the plane, set the hand brake, and followed the above described procedure. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground and the plane was heading for the ditch. I remember hearing the engine start and I knew that the cabin door was not closed. The wind that day was 90 degrees at about 20 KTS with gusts up to 35. The only things I can think of was that a gust must have lifted the right wing enough to cause me to lose my balance and tumble from the plane. I remember trying to stop the plane from rolling, but it just dragged me with it. In the past, after refueling, I have moved aircraft this way and have not had a problem. I guess the only way to prevent this from happening is to secure your seat belt and close and lock the cabin door every time you start the engine.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING ENGINE START IN STRONG GUSTY WIND CONDITION REPORTER APPARENTLY FELL FROM ACFT WHEN ENGINE STARTED. UNABLE CALLBACK ACCOUNT REPORTER VACATION.

Narrative: I WAS PARKED ON THE APRON TO AN SMT WAITING TO SET UP AN AERIAL BANNER THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO GO UP AT XA. IT WAS STILL EARLY SO I DECIDED TO MOVE THE PLANE FROM ITS PRESENT POS TO A GRASSY AREA SO IT WOULD NOT BE BLOCKING THE APRON. THE PROC USED TO START THIS PLANE IS TO OPEN THE THROTTLE TO ESTABLISH A FUEL FLOW OF 8 GPH WITH THE PRIMER PUMP, AND WHEN THE ENG STARTS, PULL THE THROTTLE BACK TO ABOUT 1100 RPM. I ENTERED THE PLANE, SET THE HAND BRAKE, AND FOLLOWED THE ABOVE DESCRIBED PROC. THE NEXT THING I KNEW, I WAS ON THE GND AND THE PLANE WAS HEADING FOR THE DITCH. I REMEMBER HEARING THE ENG START AND I KNEW THAT THE CABIN DOOR WAS NOT CLOSED. THE WIND THAT DAY WAS 90 DEGS AT ABOUT 20 KTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 35. THE ONLY THINGS I CAN THINK OF WAS THAT A GUST MUST HAVE LIFTED THE RIGHT WING ENOUGH TO CAUSE ME TO LOSE MY BALANCE AND TUMBLE FROM THE PLANE. I REMEMBER TRYING TO STOP THE PLANE FROM ROLLING, BUT IT JUST DRAGGED ME WITH IT. IN THE PAST, AFTER REFUELING, I HAVE MOVED ACFT THIS WAY AND HAVE NOT HAD A PROB. I GUESS THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IS TO SECURE YOUR SEAT BELT AND CLOSE AND LOCK THE CABIN DOOR EVERY TIME YOU START THE ENG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

During engine start in strong gusty wind condition reporter apparently fell from aircraft when engine started. Unable callback account reporter vacation.