Narrative:

My partner and I pulled our beechcraft 35H straight out of the hangar in order to see if the engine would start. We believed the battery to be low and I had a planned flight in 2 days. We did not intend to do anything other than start the engine; shut it down; and return the aircraft to the hangar; and so we left the tow bar attached to the nosewheel strut. My partner was in the left seat and started the engine. The engine turned over several times before it started and the propeller cleared the tow bar. As it started; the nose came down and the propeller struck the tow bar; sending it about 30 ft away. The engine was immediately shut down. We got our mechanic to come look at the propeller damage and then returned the aircraft to the hangar. There was no other property damage and no personal injuries.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE35H PLT STARTED THE ENG WITH THE TOW BAR ATTACHED. AFTER ENG START THE NOSE GEAR SETTLED AND THE PROP STRUCK THE TOW BAR.

Narrative: MY PARTNER AND I PULLED OUR BEECHCRAFT 35H STRAIGHT OUT OF THE HANGAR IN ORDER TO SEE IF THE ENG WOULD START. WE BELIEVED THE BATTERY TO BE LOW AND I HAD A PLANNED FLT IN 2 DAYS. WE DID NOT INTEND TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN START THE ENG; SHUT IT DOWN; AND RETURN THE ACFT TO THE HANGAR; AND SO WE LEFT THE TOW BAR ATTACHED TO THE NOSEWHEEL STRUT. MY PARTNER WAS IN THE L SEAT AND STARTED THE ENG. THE ENG TURNED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT STARTED AND THE PROP CLRED THE TOW BAR. AS IT STARTED; THE NOSE CAME DOWN AND THE PROP STRUCK THE TOW BAR; SENDING IT ABOUT 30 FT AWAY. THE ENG WAS IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN. WE GOT OUR MECH TO COME LOOK AT THE PROP DAMAGE AND THEN RETURNED THE ACFT TO THE HANGAR. THERE WAS NO OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE AND NO PERSONAL INJURIES.

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.