20060131001599A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Arctic S1AARCTIC · Rocky Ford, CO · January 31, 2006

Date: January 31, 2006 · 12:10 local
Place: Rocky Ford, CO
Airport: Melon Field Airport
Phase of flight: Starting Engines
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N28315
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN06LA037
Reported as: Arctic S1AARCTIC
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 900 total30 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N28315Registered now · Interstate S-1AS/N 7 Airframe modelInterstate S-1A Engine modelContinental A&C65 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) PIC attempted to hand prop the engine. Another person assisted by holding on to the rail. Pilot stated a gust of wind startled the person holding the tail of the aircraft, and he let go. The aircraft then moved under its own power and struck a building. Person holding the tail of the aircraft stated that the throttle was open too FAR causing the aircraft to move uncontrollably, and thus he was unable to hold the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PIC ATTEMPTED TO HAND PROP THE ENGINE. ANOTHER PERSON ASSISTED BY HOLDING ON TO THE RAIL. PILOT STATED A GUST OF WIND STARTLED THE PERSON HOLDING THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND HE LET GO. THE AIRCRAFT THEN MOVED UNDER ITS OWN POWER AND STRUCK A BUILDING. PERSON HOLDING THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT STATED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS OPEN TOO FAR CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO MOVE UNCONTROLLABLY, AND THUS HE WAS UNABLE TO HOLD THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN06LA037Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRocky Ford, COthe pilot's failure to use tie downs before attempting to hand-start the engine. A contributing factor was his failure to seek adequate assistance.Jan 31, 2006 · Substantial damage