20020418006929I

Incident

FAA incident report · Cessna 172N · Fallcity, WA · April 18, 2002

Date: April 18, 2002 · 16:00 local
Place: Fallcity, WA
Airport: Private
Phase of flight: Starting Engines
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft: N76046
Reported as: Cessna 172N
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 240 total200 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N76046Registration cancelled May 4, 2019 · Cessna 172NS/N 17268102 · Built 1976 Airframe modelCessna 172N Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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) After an unsuccessful attempt at starting the aircraft engine by hand-propping (due to a low battery condition), the pilot-in-command (PIC) proceeded to the cockpit to secure the engine magneto's. during this time, the passenger (who according to the PIC is also a student pilot) moved the propeller to facilitate engaging the aircraft towbar. When the propeller was moved, the engine fired, and the passenger was struck in the arm, and subsequently thrown clear of the propeller arc. The PIC stated that after the hand-propping exercise yielded no results, his intent was to secure the aircraft, and have the battery charged before attempting another start. The PIC was counseled on the proper briefing of non-pilots with regard to the dangers of manually moving a propeller, and to the potential hazards associated with hand-propping aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT AT STARTING THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BY HAND-PROPPING (DUE TO A LOW BATTERY CONDITION), THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) PROCEEDED TO THE COCKPIT TO SECURE THE ENGINE MAGNETO'S. DURING THIS TIME, THE PASSENGER (WHO ACCORDING TO THE PIC IS ALSO A STUDENT PILOT) MOVED THE PROPELLER TO FACILITATE ENGAGING THE AIRCRAFT TOWBAR. WHEN THE PROPELLER WAS MOVED, THE ENGINE FIRED, AND THE PASSENGER WAS STRUCK IN THE ARM, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THROWN CLEAR OF THE PROPELLER ARC. THE PIC STATED THAT AFTER THE HAND-PROPPING EXERCISE YIELDED NO RESULTS, HIS INTENT WAS TO SECURE THE AIRCRAFT, AND HAVE THE BATTERY CHARGED BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANOTHER START. THE PIC WAS COUNSELED ON THE PROPER BRIEFING OF NON-PILOTS WITH REGARD TO THE DANGERS OF MANUALLY MOVING A PROPELLER, AND TO THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH HAND-PROPPING AIRCRAFT.