Small aircraft engine started unintentionally and aircraft runs into a fence.

Attributes
ACN	164982
Time
Date	199011
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time total : 70
ASRS Report	164982
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was to be run up to verify intermittent G/south problem. Aircraft would not start due to starter problems. Starter would not engage after several tries. The need to propeller start the engine was needed to perform the run-up. While showing a new employee the method to pull the propeller through, the engine started. The aircraft then proceeded to accelerate for about 150-200' before hitting a fence and coming to a stop with the engine still running. While the aircraft was accelerating toward the fence, I tried to enter the cockpit by pulling myself through the door, but could not overcome the force of acceleration. Before the aircraft hit the fence I rolled off the wing to avoid injury. When the aircraft came to rest, I again climbed on the wing and shut the engine down. Double-checking mags switch would have prevented this accident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENGINE STARTED UNINTENTIONALLY AND ACFT RUNS INTO A FENCE.

Narrative: ACFT WAS TO BE RUN UP TO VERIFY INTERMITTENT G/S PROB. ACFT WOULD NOT START DUE TO STARTER PROBS. STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE AFTER SEVERAL TRIES. THE NEED TO PROP START THE ENG WAS NEEDED TO PERFORM THE RUN-UP. WHILE SHOWING A NEW EMPLOYEE THE METHOD TO PULL THE PROP THROUGH, THE ENG STARTED. THE ACFT THEN PROCEEDED TO ACCELERATE FOR ABOUT 150-200' BEFORE HITTING A FENCE AND COMING TO A STOP WITH THE ENG STILL RUNNING. WHILE THE ACFT WAS ACCELERATING TOWARD THE FENCE, I TRIED TO ENTER THE COCKPIT BY PULLING MYSELF THROUGH THE DOOR, BUT COULD NOT OVERCOME THE FORCE OF ACCELERATION. BEFORE THE ACFT HIT THE FENCE I ROLLED OFF THE WING TO AVOID INJURY. WHEN THE ACFT CAME TO REST, I AGAIN CLBED ON THE WING AND SHUT THE ENG DOWN. DOUBLE-CHKING MAGS SWITCH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ACCIDENT.

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.