 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A PA28 instrument skipped his elec system preflight as his student walked by the propeller. Later when doing the elect check the propeller engaged uncommanded.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 780349 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200803 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 780349 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
During the preflight; I split the duties with the student and had him do the external preflight checklist while I did the internal preflight checklist. When I got to the item 'battery switch -- on' to check fuel and lights; I noticed the student was preflting the nose area and propeller; and I decided to wait until he finished that area. When he had proceeded to the left side of the aircraft; I continued the checklist. When I turned the battery switch on; the starter engaged and the propeller started turning. I shut the switch off; and there were no injuries or damage to anyone or anything. I was thinking how fortunate we were that I waited; and how one can never assume that this won't happen to them. Also; I felt other pilots would benefit from a report of this potentially dangerous event that was averted simply by waiting a few seconds; and that other pilots take this into consideration when they are preflting as a crew.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PA28 INSTR SKIPPED HIS ELEC SYSTEM PREFLT AS HIS STUDENT WALKED BY THE PROP. LATER WHEN DOING THE ELECT CHECK THE PROP ENGAGED UNCOMMANDED.
Narrative: DURING THE PREFLT; I SPLIT THE DUTIES WITH THE STUDENT AND HAD HIM DO THE EXTERNAL PREFLT CHKLIST WHILE I DID THE INTERNAL PREFLT CHKLIST. WHEN I GOT TO THE ITEM 'BATTERY SWITCH -- ON' TO CHK FUEL AND LIGHTS; I NOTICED THE STUDENT WAS PREFLTING THE NOSE AREA AND PROP; AND I DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL HE FINISHED THAT AREA. WHEN HE HAD PROCEEDED TO THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT; I CONTINUED THE CHKLIST. WHEN I TURNED THE BATTERY SWITCH ON; THE STARTER ENGAGED AND THE PROP STARTED TURNING. I SHUT THE SWITCH OFF; AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO ANYONE OR ANYTHING. I WAS THINKING HOW FORTUNATE WE WERE THAT I WAITED; AND HOW ONE CAN NEVER ASSUME THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN TO THEM. ALSO; I FELT OTHER PLTS WOULD BENEFIT FROM A RPT OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS EVENT THAT WAS AVERTED SIMPLY BY WAITING A FEW SECONDS; AND THAT OTHER PLTS TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THEY ARE PREFLTING AS A CREW.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.