What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Started 172 by hand propping. Left and tail ropes slid off. Aircraft pivoted around right tie down. Hit parked PA28 (.4)the pilot was performing a preflight inspection, at 0100 local time, in preparation for a pleasure flight with two friends. The pilot reported that he discovered the battery was dead, and not wanting to disappoint his friends, decided to hand-prop the airplane for engine start. After 2-3 minutes, the engine caught and the airplane lurched forward. The pilot stated that the left wing and the empennage tie down ropes fell off, and the airplane began to pivot around the right wing tie down rope. He reported that he gave chase to the airplane, but was hit by either the left wing strut or horizontal stab as the empennage swung around. The runaway airplane then collided with an airplane parked in an adjacent parking spot. The pilot stated that he never hand-propped an airplane before, nor had he received instruction on how to hand-prop an airplane. (-23)pilot hand propped engine due to a dead battery. After engine started, the left wing and tail tie down ropes came loose allowing the aircraft to pivot around the right wing tie down, which remained secured. This allowed the Cessna, N12187, to come in contact with a parked Piper PA-28-161, N8161D.
As the FAA filed it
STARTED 172 BY HAND PROPPING. LEFT AND TAIL ROPES SLID OFF. AIRCRAFT PIVOTED AROUND RIGHT TIE DOWN. HIT PARKED PA28 (.4)THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, AT 0100 LOCAL TIME, IN PREPARATION FOR A PLEASURE FLIGHT WITH TWO FRIENDS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DISCOVERED THE BATTERY WAS DEAD, AND NOT WANTING TO DISAPPOINT HIS FRIENDS, DECIDED TO HAND-PROP THE AIRPLANE FOR ENGINE START. AFTER 2-3 MINUTES, THE ENGINE CAUGHT AND THE AIRPLANE LURCHED FORWARD. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LEFT WING AND THE EMPENNAGE TIE DOWN ROPES FELL OFF, AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO PIVOT AROUND THE RIGHT WING TIE DOWN ROPE. HE REPORTED THAT HE GAVE CHASE TO THE AIRPLANE, BUT WAS HIT BY EITHER THE LEFT WING STRUT OR HORIZONTAL STAB AS THE EMPENNAGE SWUNG AROUND. THE RUNAWAY AIRPLANE THEN COLLIDED WITH AN AIRPLANE PARKED IN AN ADJACENT PARKING SPOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE NEVER HAND-PROPPED AN AIRPLANE BEFORE, NOR HAD HE RECEIVED INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO HAND-PROP AN AIRPLANE. (-23)PILOT HAND PROPPED ENGINE DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY. AFTER ENGINE STARTED, THE LEFT WING AND TAIL TIE DOWN ROPES CAME LOOSE ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO PIVOT AROUND THE RIGHT WING TIE DOWN, WHICH REMAINED SECURED. THIS ALLOWED THE CESSNA, N12187, TO COME IN CONTACT WITH A PARKED PIPER PA-28-161, N8161D.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.