Aeronca champion 7AC pilot lost control of aircraft starting the engine by hand propping resulting i...

Attributes
ACN	520347
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lwm.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Champion Citabria 7ECA
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 950 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	520347
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was involved in a starting incident while hand propping an aeronca 7AC. There was another rated pilot in the aircraft who has experience flying this make and model of aircraft. Once the engine was started, I noticed that the engine was running at above idle RPM. The aircraft then began to roll. I moved out of the way of the aircraft as quickly as possible and was later informed that the propeller had come within 2 ft of hitting me. I ran towards the right wing of the aircraft and noticed that the aircraft was heading for the above ground fuel tank. I therefore grasped the top of the right wing strut and forced the aircraft to make a hard right turn. The left wing strut of the aircraft then impacted the spinner on a piper arrow. No people were hurt in this incident. After the aircraft was secured, I and the other pilot noticed that the cable housing for the left brake had 'slipped,' causing a left brake pedal actuation to be ineffective. While I am happy that no one was hurt, there were some factors that could have prevented this incident from occurring. First, the aircraft's wheels should have had chocks on them. Secondly, the aircraft should have been moved to a less congested area on the ramp while starting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AERONCA CHAMPION 7AC PLT LOST CTL OF ACFT STARTING THE ENG BY HAND PROPPING RESULTING IN THE ACFT COLLIDING WITH A PARKED PIPER ARROW. THE L WING OF THE AERONCA AND THE SPINNER OF THE PIPER SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE.

Narrative: I WAS INVOLVED IN A STARTING INCIDENT WHILE HAND PROPPING AN AERONCA 7AC. THERE WAS ANOTHER RATED PLT IN THE ACFT WHO HAS EXPERIENCE FLYING THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF ACFT. ONCE THE ENG WAS STARTED, I NOTICED THAT THE ENG WAS RUNNING AT ABOVE IDLE RPM. THE ACFT THEN BEGAN TO ROLL. I MOVED OUT OF THE WAY OF THE ACFT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND WAS LATER INFORMED THAT THE PROP HAD COME WITHIN 2 FT OF HITTING ME. I RAN TOWARDS THE R WING OF THE ACFT AND NOTICED THAT THE ACFT WAS HDG FOR THE ABOVE GND FUEL TANK. I THEREFORE GRASPED THE TOP OF THE R WING STRUT AND FORCED THE ACFT TO MAKE A HARD R TURN. THE L WING STRUT OF THE ACFT THEN IMPACTED THE SPINNER ON A PIPER ARROW. NO PEOPLE WERE HURT IN THIS INCIDENT. AFTER THE ACFT WAS SECURED, I AND THE OTHER PLT NOTICED THAT THE CABLE HOUSING FOR THE L BRAKE HAD 'SLIPPED,' CAUSING A L BRAKE PEDAL ACTUATION TO BE INEFFECTIVE. WHILE I AM HAPPY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT, THERE WERE SOME FACTORS THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT FROM OCCURRING. FIRST, THE ACFT'S WHEELS SHOULD HAVE HAD CHOCKS ON THEM. SECONDLY, THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MOVED TO A LESS CONGESTED AREA ON THE RAMP WHILE STARTING.

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.

Aeronca champion 7AC pilot lost control of aircraft starting the engine by hand propping resulting in the aircraft colliding with a parked piper arrow. The left wing of the aeronca and the spinner of the piper sustained minor damage.