Piper P28 pilot observes aircraft with engine started with no one at the controls.

Attributes
ACN	701927
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cdw.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Piper Single Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	701927
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I notice the pilot; wife; and child (6-8 yrs old?) loading the plane; and see pilot with what appears to be a portable battery pack to start automobiles. As I exit the ramp; wifey says hi. I reply. She states 'we are going to ct 'if' the plane starts.' as I load my car; I hear it start; then notice the pilot outside the plane; head in the baggage compartment; apparently removing the jumpstart battery pack. Nobody is at the controls -- wife and child walking around. I notified airport operations who responded.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER P28 PLT OBSERVES ACFT WITH ENG STARTED WITH NO ONE AT THE CTLS.

Narrative: I NOTICE THE PLT; WIFE; AND CHILD (6-8 YRS OLD?) LOADING THE PLANE; AND SEE PLT WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PORTABLE BATTERY PACK TO START AUTOMOBILES. AS I EXIT THE RAMP; WIFEY SAYS HI. I REPLY. SHE STATES 'WE ARE GOING TO CT 'IF' THE PLANE STARTS.' AS I LOAD MY CAR; I HEAR IT START; THEN NOTICE THE PLT OUTSIDE THE PLANE; HEAD IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT; APPARENTLY REMOVING THE JUMPSTART BATTERY PACK. NOBODY IS AT THE CTLS -- WIFE AND CHILD WALKING AROUND. I NOTIFIED ARPT OPS WHO RESPONDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.