What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot statement: on Friday, October 19, 2001, at 6:45 am, at Love airfield in Prescott, Arizona, the plane a Cessna 210, N331CB, was tied down in the second row of the transient parking area. The transient parking area is on an incline. I untied the two wings, leaving the tail still tied and went inside the terminal to pay my transient overnight fee. When I came out to service the plane, I released the tail tie, checked the oil and added a quart. Since it was cold, the oil ran very slowly and I was concerned about being able to start the engine. At this point, I had not turned on the radios or checked with the tower as I was not ready to leave and was still servicing the plane. When I started the engine the emergency brake was on. I was checking the oil pressure when I felt the plane begin to move. Immediately I started to apply the brakes and steer the plane. At first, I did not remember that the day before, when I had parked the plane, I had placed my headset in its black case on the floor against the pedals to be out of sight. As the sun had not risen yet, the black case was not visible. By the time I realized what was happening, my right wing had hit the tail of the merlin plane parked just in front of me. This caused my plane to spin around into the side of the merlin where my propeller hit that plane's door.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATEMENT: ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2001, AT 6:45 AM, AT LOVE AIRFIELD IN PRESCOTT, ARIZONA, THE PLANE A CESSNA 210, N331CB, WAS TIED DOWN IN THE SECOND ROW OF THE TRANSIENT PARKING AREA. THE TRANSIENT PARKING AREA IS ON AN INCLINE. I UNTIED THE TWO WINGS, LEAVING THE TAIL STILL TIED AND WENT INSIDE THE TERMINAL TO PAY MY TRANSIENT OVERNIGHT FEE. WHEN I CAME OUT TO SERVICE THE PLANE, I RELEASED THE TAIL TIE, CHECKED THE OIL AND ADDED A QUART. SINCE IT WAS COLD, THE OIL RAN VERY SLOWLY AND I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO START THE ENGINE. AT THIS POINT, I HAD NOT TURNED ON THE RADIOS OR CHECKED WITH THE TOWER AS I WAS NOT READY TO LEAVE AND WAS STILL SERVICING THE PLANE. WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON. I WAS CHECKING THE OIL PRESSURE WHEN I FELT THE PLANE BEGIN TO MOVE. IMMEDIATELY I STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND STEER THE PLANE. AT FIRST, I DID NOT REMEMBER THAT THE DAY BEFORE, WHEN I HAD PARKED THE PLANE, I HAD PLACED MY HEADSET IN ITS BLACK CASE ON THE FLOOR AGAINST THE PEDALS TO BE OUT OF SIGHT. AS THE SUN HAD NOT RISEN YET, THE BLACK CASE WAS NOT VISIBLE. BY THE TIME I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING, MY RIGHT WING HAD HIT THE TAIL OF THE MERLIN PLANE PARKED JUST IN FRONT OF ME. THIS CAUSED MY PLANE TO SPIN AROUND INTO THE SIDE OF THE MERLIN WHERE MY PROPELLER HIT THAT PLANE'S DOOR.
Other reports on N331CB · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.