What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) FBO employee in terminal saw pilot going out to plane on ramp. Pilot reported prop starting plane due to dead battery. Witness heard plane start up and then pass by her window in terminal and pilot trying to get in. He got partially into plane and then it swerved to left and hit fence post and fence near terminal. Pilot reported he bumped throttle while getting into cockpit. R wing rear spar buckled at fuselage attachment. Nose wheel and fork torn off of aircraft. Pilot told FAA inspector that he had a note from mechanic that battery may be weak when he picked airplane up at ata a day or so previously.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FBO EMPLOYEE IN TERMINAL SAW PILOT GOING OUT TO PLANE ON RAMP. PILOT REPORTED PROP STARTING PLANE DUE TO DEAD BATTERY. WITNESS HEARD PLANE START UP AND THEN PASS BY HER WINDOW IN TERMINAL AND PILOT TRYING TO GET IN. HE GOT PARTIALLY INTO PLANE AND THEN IT SWERVED TO LEFT AND HIT FENCE POST AND FENCE NEAR TERMINAL. PILOT REPORTED HE BUMPED THROTTLE WHILE GETTING INTO COCKPIT. R WING REAR SPAR BUCKLED AT FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT. NOSE WHEEL AND FORK TORN OFF OF AIRCRAFT. PILOT TOLD FAA INSPECTOR THAT HE HAD A NOTE FROM MECHANIC THAT BATTERY MAY BE WEAK WHEN HE PICKED AIRPLANE UP AT ATA A DAY OR SO PREVIOUSLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.