<< >> NASA ASRS Report 374760, July 1997

Pilot of an aeronca champ, 7AC, lost control of aircraft during hand propping (no electrical system for starter) resulting in the aircraft striking another parked aircraft (beech sierra) causing damage to each aircraft. There were no injuries.

Attributes
ACN	374760
Time
Date	199707
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfl
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Aeronca Champion
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 190
ASRS Report	374760
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was hand propeller starting an aeronca champ as I have hundreds of times before. I asked lineman to hold the tail of the plane while I started it. After a few pulls, I determined that the carburetor was flooded and went to the cockpit to open the throttle and turn the ignition switch 'off.' I then pulled the engine through 16 'blades' as previously instructed. I then went back to the cockpit to close the throttle and turn ignition back 'on.' it started on the first pull and went to full power. The lineman couldn't hold it and I immediately ran around and tried to reach the throttle, but before I could get to it, it had turned around and hit a beechcraft sierra that was parked beside the champ.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN AERONCA CHAMP, 7AC, LOST CTL OF ACFT DURING HAND PROPPING (NO ELECTRICAL SYS FOR STARTER) RESULTING IN THE ACFT STRIKING ANOTHER PARKED ACFT (BEECH SIERRA) CAUSING DAMAGE TO EACH ACFT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

Narrative: I WAS HAND PROP STARTING AN AERONCA CHAMP AS I HAVE HUNDREDS OF TIMES BEFORE. I ASKED LINEMAN TO HOLD THE TAIL OF THE PLANE WHILE I STARTED IT. AFTER A FEW PULLS, I DETERMINED THAT THE CARB WAS FLOODED AND WENT TO THE COCKPIT TO OPEN THE THROTTLE AND TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH 'OFF.' I THEN PULLED THE ENG THROUGH 16 'BLADES' AS PREVIOUSLY INSTRUCTED. I THEN WENT BACK TO THE COCKPIT TO CLOSE THE THROTTLE AND TURN IGNITION BACK 'ON.' IT STARTED ON THE FIRST PULL AND WENT TO FULL PWR. THE LINEMAN COULDN'T HOLD IT AND I IMMEDIATELY RAN AROUND AND TRIED TO REACH THE THROTTLE, BUT BEFORE I COULD GET TO IT, IT HAD TURNED AROUND AND HIT A BEECHCRAFT SIERRA THAT WAS PARKED BESIDE THE CHAMP.

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.