# Accident 20010428008889A: Bbavia 11AC, Greenville, SC, April 28, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 28, 2001, 14:45 local time
- Place: Greenville, SC
- Airport: Greenville Downtown Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Starting Engines
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8481° N, 82.3500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8481&lon=-82.3500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N86217, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N86217) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aeronca 11AC (registry code 0191102, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-11ac) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 11AC
- Reported engine: CONT A658F
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,282 total, 3 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA135) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010428008889A

## Narrative

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

(-23)THE PILOT, MR. JOSPH THOMAS HINSON,  ATTEMPTED TO START THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BY HAND PROPPING. SINCE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT FIRE NORMALLY HE USED STARTING FLUID (ETHER).  AFTER DIRECTING STARTING FLUID INTO INDUCTION SYSTEM OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE ENGINE STARTED ON FIRST PULL OF THE PROP.  THE AIRCRAFT LURCH FORWARD AND BROKE THE TIEDOWN ROPE.   MR. HINSON  MANAGED TO HOLD ONTO THE WING AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED IN CIRCLES, AND AFTER MANY CIRCLES HE LET GO OF THE WING WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS DIRECTED TOWARD THE WOODED AREA.  THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO THE WOODED AREA AND STOPPED AFTER STRIKING THE TREES.  STRIKING THE TREES CAUSED DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS.  MR. HINSON  RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT BY THE WING STRUT.  (.4) ON APRIL 28, 2001, ABOUT 1445 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AERONCA 11AC, N86217, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, COLLIDED WITH TREES AFTER THE ENGINE STARTED WHILE HAND PROPPING THE ENGINE AT THE GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN AIRPORT, GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE INTENDED 14 CFR PART 91 FERRY FLIGHT. THE UNOCCUPIED AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PRI VATE-RATED PILOT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE; THE PILOT HAD A FERRY PERMIT TO FLY THE AIRPLANE TO THE PLACE WHERE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS TO BE PERFORMED. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A SAFETY PILOT ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE WHICH WAS TIED DOWN, HE WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE. HE LEFT THE AIRPORT AND OBTAINED "STARTER FLUID" BUT WHEN HE RETURNED THERE WAS NO PERSON AROUND TO ACT AS A SAFETY PILOT. HE RECHECKED THE ROPE USED TO TIED DOWN THE AIRPLANE AND FOUND IT SECURE. HE WAS ABLE TO START THE ENGINE WITH THE AID OF THE STARTER FLUID AND WHEN NEAR THE PILOT'S SIDE DOOR, THE ROPE BROKE. HE GRABBED THE LIFT STRUT BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE WHICH WAS GOING IN CIRCLES; THERE WAS NO ASSISTANCE FROM INDIVIDUALS ON THE GROUND. HE RELEASED THE LIFT STRUT, THEN SOME TIME LATER HE GRABBED THE LIFT STRUT AGAIN AND FORCED THE AIRPLANE INTO TREES.

## 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 MIA01LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA135), Apr 28, 2001: Aeronca 11AC (N86217), Greenville, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to obtain the assistance of a person to act as a safety pilot while hand propping the engine with the airplane tied down. A factor in the accident was the failure of the tie…

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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