# Accident 19970525011919A: Piper PA28180, Hancock, MI, May 25, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 25, 1997, 14:10 local time
- Place: Hancock, MI
- Airport: Houghton County Memorial
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Starting Engines
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.1103° N, 88.5596° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.1103&lon=-88.5596&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8872J, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8872J) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28180
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4A
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 917 total, 600 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA148) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970525011919A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT GOT AWAY FROM PILOT AFTE HAN PROPPED TO START, RAN INTO ANOTHER PLANE, THAT WAS TIED DOWN. (-23) THE PILOT HAND PROPED THE AIRPLANE, TWO PAX IN THE BACK SEAT.  SET PARKING BRAKE, NO CHOCKS, NO ONE AT THE CONTROLS.  AIRPLANE ENGINE STARTED, RAN INTO A PARKED, TIED DOWN AIRPLANE.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Y.4)THE PILOT DECIDED TO EXIT THE AIRPLANE AND PULL THE PROPELLER THROUGH BY HAND BECAUSE THE ENGINE STARTER MOTOR WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT CHOCKED OR TIED DOWN AND THE MAGNETO SWITCH WAS ON.  THE AIRPLANE STARTED AND BEGAN TAXIING WITH TWO PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEATS.  THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GET IN THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO IT STRIKING ANOTHER AIRPLANE WHICH WAS PARKED ON THE RAMP.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI97LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA148), May 25, 1997: Piper PA-28-180 (N8872J), Houghton, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper starting procedures and failure to set the parking brakes.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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