19970421015829A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 421C · Pierre, SD · April 21, 1997

Date: April 21, 1997 · 12:00 local
Place: Pierre, SD
Airport: Pierre Municipal
Phase of flight: Idling Engines
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N283PT
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI97LA109
Reported as: Cessna 421C
Reported engine: Continental GTSIO520*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 30,000 total110 in this make and model110 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)While discharging a passenger on a wet ramp with brakes set and both engines running, the pilot went aft to shut the main cabin door. As the pilot egressed the cockpit, his left foot struck the number one throttle advancing it to takeoff power which caused the airplane to impact a parked vehicle and chain link fence on the ramp. (-23) after the single passenger exited the airplane, the pilot got out of his seat to close the cabin door. Both engines were still running. The pilot's shoe bumped the left throttle lever as he exited the pilot seat, pushing the left throttle to ful power. The sudden lurch threw the pilot to the floor. The aircraft, moving under power, went along a chain link fence and into a parked and unoccupied jeep cherokee where it came to rest. At this time, the pilot was able to shut off the engines. On the scene investigation revealed that the brakes had been locked as evident by the skid marks on the pavement.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)WHILE DISCHARGING A PASSENGER ON A WET RAMP WITH BRAKES SET AND BOTH ENGINES RUNNING, THE PILOT WENT AFT TO SHUT THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. AS THE PILOT EGRESSED THE COCKPIT, HIS LEFT FOOT STRUCK THE NUMBER ONE THROTTLE ADVANCING IT TO TAKEOFF POWER WHICH CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO IMPACT A PARKED VEHICLE AND CHAIN LINK FENCE ON THE RAMP. (-23) AFTER THE SINGLE PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT GOT OUT OF HIS SEAT TO CLOSE THE CABIN DOOR. BOTH ENGINES WERE STILL RUNNING. THE PILOT'S SHOE BUMPED THE LEFT THROTTLE LEVER AS HE EXITED THE PILOT SEAT, PUSHING THE LEFT THROTTLE TO FUL POWER. THE SUDDEN LURCH THREW THE PILOT TO THE FLOOR. THE AIRCRAFT, MOVING UNDER POWER, WENT ALONG A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND INTO A PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED JEEP CHEROKEE WHERE IT CAME TO REST. AT THIS TIME, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINES. ON THE SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE BRAKES HAD BEEN LOCKED AS EVIDENT BY THE SKID MARKS ON THE PAVEMENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97LA109Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPierre, SDthe pilot's inadvertent activation of the number one throttle/power control. Factors were: the pilot left the cockpit unattended with the engines running and a wet ramp.Apr 21, 1997 · Substantial damage