# Accident 20010703017039A: Piper PA12, Plymouth, MA, July 3, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 3, 2001, 17:30 local time
- Place: Plymouth, MA
- Airport: Plymouth Municipal
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.9089° N, 70.7286° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9089&lon=-70.7286&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3042M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3042M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA12
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC01LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA165) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010703017039A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START AIRCRAFT. BENDIX DRIVE WOULD NOT ENGAGE FLY WHEEL OF ENGINE. PILOT DECIDED TO GET OUT AND SPIN THE PROPELLER TO ENGAGE THE BENDIX DRIVE.  PILOT STATES THAT HE TURNED MAGNETO SWITCHES OFF. ON THIRD SPIN OF THE PROP THE ENGINE STARTED.  PILOT HAD LEFT FUEL MIXTURE RICH AND THE THROTTLE FORWARD.  AIRCRAFT WAS NOT TIED DOWN NOR WAS THE AIRCRAFT CHOCKED.  THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE CONTROLS WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING PROPED.  ENGINE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN RUNNING AT 1100 TO 1200 RPM.  PROP BLAST BLEW THE DOOR CLOSED.  THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO MOVE.  THE PILOT THEN GRABBED TO RIGHT STRUT, THUS CAUSING DRAG ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PLANE.  AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SWEEPING RIGHT HAND TURN AND CAME TO REST AFTER SEVERING THE TAIL SECTION OF A CESSNA 210.

## 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 NYC01LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA165), Jul 3, 2001: Piper PA-12 (N3042M), Plymouth, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to ensure the magnetos were off prior to rotating the propeller, which resulted in an unintentional engine start and subsequent unmanned taxi.

## Other reports on N3042M (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19920814031489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920814031489A), Aug 14, 1992: Piper PA12 (N3042M), Talkeetna, AK, Substantial damage. Landed hard and short of remote strip. Pilots license had been revoked prior.

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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