What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was attempting to hand prop when the left wheel locked up, acft spun around and struck a utility pole. (-23) prior to hand-propping acft, PIC set parking brake which only secures left wheel brake cable. PIC, without assistance, started engine with throttle set too high. Acft began to pivot around left wheel, and PIC was unable to access cockpit to retard throttle. Acft continued to turn to the left in ever-increasing circles. Acft left the tarmac and onto a grassy area, continued to turn left until the right wing near the wing root encountered a utility power pole. Impact substantially damaged rt wing, bent rt landing gear and distorted propeller. Y.4)the pilot stated that he couldn't find someone to assist him in hand starting the aircraft, so he decided to proceed by himself. The pilot stated that he could not get the engine to start after many attempts. The pilot adjusted the throttle, increasing it, and again attempted to hand start the engine. The pilot stated that engine started, ran rough for the first couple of rotations, and then the rpms began to increase rapidly. The aircraft began to pivot around the left main gear and the pilot was unable to access the cockpit to retard the throttle. The aircraft continued to turn to the left, departed the tarmac onto a grass area, until the right wing impacted a utility pole and guy wire. Post accident investigation revealed that the pilot had not had flown in over six years and had not had biennial flight review in over 72 months. It was also revealed that the hand brake only engages the left brake on the aircraft, which caused the aircraft to rotate about the left main gear.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO HAND PROP WHEN THE LEFT WHEEL LOCKED UP, ACFT SPUN AROUND AND STRUCK A UTILITY POLE. (-23) PRIOR TO HAND-PROPPING ACFT, PIC SET PARKING BRAKE WHICH ONLY SECURES LEFT WHEEL BRAKE CABLE. PIC, WITHOUT ASSISTANCE, STARTED ENGINE WITH THROTTLE SET TOO HIGH. ACFT BEGAN TO PIVOT AROUND LEFT WHEEL, AND PIC WAS UNABLE TO ACCESS COCKPIT TO RETARD THROTTLE. ACFT CONTINUED TO TURN TO THE LEFT IN EVER-INCREASING CIRCLES. ACFT LEFT THE TARMAC AND ONTO A GRASSY AREA, CONTINUED TO TURN LEFT UNTIL THE RIGHT WING NEAR THE WING ROOT ENCOUNTERED A UTILITY POWER POLE. IMPACT SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED RT WING, BENT RT LANDING GEAR AND DISTORTED PROPELLER. Y.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COULDN'T FIND SOMEONE TO ASSIST HIM IN HAND STARTING THE AIRCRAFT, SO HE DECIDED TO PROCEED BY HIMSELF. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO START AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS. THE PILOT ADJUSTED THE THROTTLE, INCREASING IT, AND AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO HAND START THE ENGINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT ENGINE STARTED, RAN ROUGH FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF ROTATIONS, AND THEN THE RPMS BEGAN TO INCREASE RAPIDLY. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO PIVOT AROUND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ACCESS THE COCKPIT TO RETARD THE THROTTLE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TURN TO THE LEFT, DEPARTED THE TARMAC ONTO A GRASS AREA, UNTIL THE RIGHT WING IMPACTED A UTILITY POLE AND GUY WIRE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT HAD FLOWN IN OVER SIX YEARS AND HAD NOT HAD BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW IN OVER 72 MONTHS. IT WAS ALSO REVEALED THAT THE HAND BRAKE ONLY ENGAGES THE LEFT BRAKE ON THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE ABOUT THE LEFT MAIN GEAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.