What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot fatally injured while attempting to hand-prop the acft. (-23)while hand proping propeller Mr. Reams fell in propeller. (.4)the pilot had stated the engine briefly by using the engine's electric starter. The engine stopped, and after several more attempts with the starter, the pilot then attempted to start the airplane's engine by hand-propping. The airplane's brake had been set, but the nose wheel had been chocked from behind only. None of the airplane's wheels were chocked in front. The engine started briefly, and the pilot was struck by the propeller. The accident occurred during the hours of darkness, on a moist surface, with an outside air temperature of 1 degree celsius, in a refueling area. The 5,000-hour pilot had been seen hand propping the airplane on other occasions.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT FATALLY INJURED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO HAND-PROP THE ACFT. (-23)WHILE HAND PROPING PROPELLER MR. REAMS FELL IN PROPELLER. (.4)THE PILOT HAD STATED THE ENGINE BRIEFLY BY USING THE ENGINE'S ELECTRIC STARTER. THE ENGINE STOPPED, AND AFTER SEVERAL MORE ATTEMPTS WITH THE STARTER, THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO START THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE BY HAND-PROPPING. THE AIRPLANE'S BRAKE HAD BEEN SET, BUT THE NOSE WHEEL HAD BEEN CHOCKED FROM BEHIND ONLY. NONE OF THE AIRPLANE'S WHEELS WERE CHOCKED IN FRONT. THE ENGINE STARTED BRIEFLY, AND THE PILOT WAS STRUCK BY THE PROPELLER. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS, ON A MOIST SURFACE, WITH AN OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE OF 1 DEGREE CELSIUS, IN A REFUELING AREA. THE 5,000-HOUR PILOT HAD BEEN SEEN HAND PROPPING THE AIRPLANE ON OTHER OCCASIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.