19991007028019I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Mooney M20K · Sacramento, CA · October 7, 1999

Date: October 7, 1999
Place: Sacramento, CA
Airport: Sacramento Metropolitan
Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N252TC
Reported as: Mooney M20K
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0

N252TCRegistered now · Mooney M20KS/N 25-1048 · Built 1986 Airframe modelMooney M20K Engine modelContinental TSIO-360 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) Owner removed cowling to run engine on ground to check function of air conditioning pump. Owner had placed chocks in front of wheels and set parking brake. He then started the engine and exited the aircraft to visually inspect the air pump. After looking at the air pump and while walking back to the cockpit he noticed the aircraft starting to move. The owner grabbed the wing tip and tried to stop the plane but it slowly made a 180 degree turn and the prop hit a hanger door that caused the engine to quit. The hanger door and the prop received minor damage. The owner was counseled in regard to his actions.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) OWNER REMOVED COWLING TO RUN ENGINE ON GROUND TO CHECK FUNCTION OF AIR CONDITIONING PUMP. OWNER HAD PLACED CHOCKS IN FRONT OF WHEELS AND SET PARKING BRAKE. HE THEN STARTED THE ENGINE AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE AIR PUMP. AFTER LOOKING AT THE AIR PUMP AND WHILE WALKING BACK TO THE COCKPIT HE NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT STARTING TO MOVE. THE OWNER GRABBED THE WING TIP AND TRIED TO STOP THE PLANE BUT IT SLOWLY MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND THE PROP HIT A HANGER DOOR THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO QUIT. THE HANGER DOOR AND THE PROP RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE. THE OWNER WAS COUNSELED IN REGARD TO HIS ACTIONS.