A kit fox pilot allows his tail to come up during the runup and suffers a propeller strike.

Attributes
ACN	412797
Time
Date	199809
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rst
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : holding other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1847 flight time type : 53
ASRS Report	412797
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I was performing an engine runup on the taxiway prior to takeoff. For reasons still not clear, my headset cable became fouled with the push-to-talk cable on the stick, and the headset was pulled from my head. In the distraction, I permitted the tail to rise, resulting in the propeller strike on the taxiway and a sudden stoppage of the engine. I should have immediately retarded the throttle and ignored the noise and distraction. I also plan to move headset jacks behind seats.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A KIT FOX PLT ALLOWS HIS TAIL TO COME UP DURING THE RUNUP AND SUFFERS A PROP STRIKE.

Narrative: I WAS PERFORMING AN ENG RUNUP ON THE TXWY PRIOR TO TKOF. FOR REASONS STILL NOT CLR, MY HEADSET CABLE BECAME FOULED WITH THE PUSH-TO-TALK CABLE ON THE STICK, AND THE HEADSET WAS PULLED FROM MY HEAD. IN THE DISTR, I PERMITTED THE TAIL TO RISE, RESULTING IN THE PROP STRIKE ON THE TXWY AND A SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE ENG. I SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND IGNORED THE NOISE AND DISTR. I ALSO PLAN TO MOVE HEADSET JACKS BEHIND SEATS.

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.