Narrative:

Upon start-up; plane moved rapidly forward striking a tractor parked 30 ft away. The ignition on the cherokee 180 is located beneath the yoke; making it somewhat difficult to reach. I went through the checklist and prepared to start engine -- with my feet pressed firmly on the pedals/brakes. When it did not start immediately; I pumped the throttle 2 times. This time; I used my right hand to turn the key. It started immediately and lurched forward. In all probability; I had left the throttle open too far -- although I did not think so at the time. When the plane lurched forward; I reached for the throttle with my right hand and apparently hit it knocking it further forward. The brakes did not hold sufficiently. As the tractor was parked only 30 ft away; the entire episode happened in a second or two. Given that what actually happened and what I believe happened are perhaps different; the most likely scenario is that I was not sufficiently applying pressure to the brakes (as opposed to the rudder pedals); left the throttle open too far after pumping it; and inadvertently opened the throttle further while attempting to close it. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he cannot be certain that the parking brake was set during the engine start. He was unable to properly rotate the key to the start position with his left hand; so he used his right. Unfortunately the throttle was too far advanced; and the aircraft lurched forward when the engine started; and the propeller struck the tractor resulting in propeller and engine damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT ROLLED FORWARD AFTER ENG START; HITTING A TRACTOR.

Narrative: UPON START-UP; PLANE MOVED RAPIDLY FORWARD STRIKING A TRACTOR PARKED 30 FT AWAY. THE IGNITION ON THE CHEROKEE 180 IS LOCATED BENEATH THE YOKE; MAKING IT SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO REACH. I WENT THROUGH THE CHKLIST AND PREPARED TO START ENG -- WITH MY FEET PRESSED FIRMLY ON THE PEDALS/BRAKES. WHEN IT DID NOT START IMMEDIATELY; I PUMPED THE THROTTLE 2 TIMES. THIS TIME; I USED MY R HAND TO TURN THE KEY. IT STARTED IMMEDIATELY AND LURCHED FORWARD. IN ALL PROBABILITY; I HAD LEFT THE THROTTLE OPEN TOO FAR -- ALTHOUGH I DID NOT THINK SO AT THE TIME. WHEN THE PLANE LURCHED FORWARD; I REACHED FOR THE THROTTLE WITH MY R HAND AND APPARENTLY HIT IT KNOCKING IT FURTHER FORWARD. THE BRAKES DID NOT HOLD SUFFICIENTLY. AS THE TRACTOR WAS PARKED ONLY 30 FT AWAY; THE ENTIRE EPISODE HAPPENED IN A SECOND OR TWO. GIVEN THAT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED AND WHAT I BELIEVE HAPPENED ARE PERHAPS DIFFERENT; THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO IS THAT I WAS NOT SUFFICIENTLY APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES (AS OPPOSED TO THE RUDDER PEDALS); LEFT THE THROTTLE OPEN TOO FAR AFTER PUMPING IT; AND INADVERTENTLY OPENED THE THROTTLE FURTHER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE IT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT HE CANNOT BE CERTAIN THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS SET DURING THE ENG START. HE WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY ROTATE THE KEY TO THE START POSITION WITH HIS LEFT HAND; SO HE USED HIS RIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY THE THROTTLE WAS TOO FAR ADVANCED; AND THE ACFT LURCHED FORWARD WHEN THE ENG STARTED; AND THE PROP STRUCK THE TRACTOR RESULTING IN PROP AND ENG DAMAGE.

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.