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At start up, pilot and passenger found dead battery. Trying to jump start, the aircraft gets away and travels into a ditch.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 393353 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199802 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hou |
| State Reference | TX |
| 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 : 205 flight time total : 822 flight time type : 110 |
| ASRS Report | 393353 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Pilot and passenger found dead battery during engine start up. Pilot exited the aircraft in order to initiate jump start procedure. Pilot felt it necessary to remain in cargo area (where battery is located) due to previous arcing problems. Pilot instructed passenger on brake and throttle procedures during start up and instructed the passenger to engage the starter. Engine start up was normal with 1/4 inch of the throttle cracked open. Engine RPM's began to rise normally. Pilot instructed passenger to pull back the throttle to full idle position while removing battery cables in order to close battery box for flight. The passenger mistakenly pushed the throttle forward resulting in a full power situation. Pilot tried to crawl from the rear of the airplane to correct the situation while instructing passenger to pull back on the throttle. The airplane traveled approximately 40 yards before a ditch prevented any further travel. Prevention should have been finding another pilot or mechanic to help jump start the plane.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AT START UP, PLT AND PAX FOUND DEAD BATTERY. TRYING TO JUMP START, THE ACFT GETS AWAY AND TRAVELS INTO A DITCH.
Narrative: PLT AND PAX FOUND DEAD BATTERY DURING ENG START UP. PLT EXITED THE ACFT IN ORDER TO INITIATE JUMP START PROC. PLT FELT IT NECESSARY TO REMAIN IN CARGO AREA (WHERE BATTERY IS LOCATED) DUE TO PREVIOUS ARCING PROBS. PLT INSTRUCTED PAX ON BRAKE AND THROTTLE PROCS DURING START UP AND INSTRUCTED THE PAX TO ENGAGE THE STARTER. ENG START UP WAS NORMAL WITH 1/4 INCH OF THE THROTTLE CRACKED OPEN. ENG RPM'S BEGAN TO RISE NORMALLY. PLT INSTRUCTED PAX TO PULL BACK THE THROTTLE TO FULL IDLE POS WHILE REMOVING BATTERY CABLES IN ORDER TO CLOSE BATTERY BOX FOR FLT. THE PAX MISTAKENLY PUSHED THE THROTTLE FORWARD RESULTING IN A FULL PWR SIT. PLT TRIED TO CRAWL FROM THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE TO CORRECT THE SIT WHILE INSTRUCTING PAX TO PULL BACK ON THE THROTTLE. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED APPROX 40 YARDS BEFORE A DITCH PREVENTED ANY FURTHER TRAVEL. PREVENTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN FINDING ANOTHER PLT OR MECH TO HELP JUMP START THE PLANE.
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.