# Accident 20041121031209A: Cessna 172B, Zephyrhills, FL, November 21, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 21, 2004, 16:30 local time
- Place: Zephyrhills, FL
- Airport: Zephyrhills Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Starting Engines
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.2281° N, 82.1558° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2281&lon=-82.1558&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7493X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7493X-2005-01-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172B (registry code 2072406, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 643 total, 500 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA05CA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05CA032) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041121031209A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PIC FLEW N7493X FROM LAL INTO ZPH TO OBTAIN FUEL (AT A LOWER PRICE). AFTER FUELING FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT TO LAL, HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S BATTERY WAS TOO WEAK TO START THE ENGINE, SO HE DECIDED TO HAND CRANK IT WITHOUT ANYONE IN THE COCKPIT. THE ENGINE STARTED AND ACCELERATED, WITH THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTING THE FUEL SERVICE AREA, HITTING HIM RESULTING IN HIS RECEIVING A BROKEN RIGHT WRIST AND NOSE & FOREHEAD MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT THEN HIT A CREDIT CARD PAYMENT KIOSK WITH IT'S LEFT WING, ROTATED TO THE LEFT WITH THE RIGHT WING TIP HITTING A LARGE FUEL TANK, CONTINUED IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION DOWN A TAXIWAY, THEN HITTING N4347T, CUTTING IT'S FUSELAGE IN HALF, THEN ROTATED AROUND IT HITTING N9069J'S LEFT WING AND ELEVATOR, HEADED BACK IN A NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION UP THE TAXIWAY PAST THE TERMINAL BUILDING, CONTINUING THROUGH TWO SECTIONS OF 4 FT. HIGH CHAIN LINK FENCING WHILE CROSSING A ROADWAY AND STOPPING JUST SHORT OF A HANGER.

## 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 MIA05CA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05CA032), Nov 21, 2004: Cessna 172B (N7493X), Zephyrhills, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to set the parking brake and his improper starting procedure which resulted in an unattended aircraft running away after hand starting the engine and the airplane colliding with…

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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