What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was taxiing for takeoff on runway 10 when he realized that the tailwheel lock would not disengage. The pilot decided to stop the aircraft on the taxiway to get out of the aircraft and manually unlock the tailwheel by himself. After setting the parking brake and installing the control lock, the pilot climbed out of the aircraft. As the pilot was climbing out of the aircraft, he accidentally hit the throttle, moving into a high throttle setting. The pilot fell off the aircraft. The aircraft proceeded (without anyone onboard) across the taxiway, across the runway, flew over a shallow ditch, hit a fence and a set of railroad tracks and came to rest on an embankment.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 10 WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE TAILWHEEL LOCK WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. THE PILOT DECIDED TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE TAXIWAY TO GET OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND MANUALLY UNLOCK THE TAILWHEEL BY HIMSELF. AFTER SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE AND INSTALLING THE CONTROL LOCK, THE PILOT CLIMBED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE PILOT WAS CLIMBING OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT, HE ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE THROTTLE, MOVING INTO A HIGH THROTTLE SETTING. THE PILOT FELL OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED (WITHOUT ANYONE ONBOARD) ACROSS THE TAXIWAY, ACROSS THE RUNWAY, FLEW OVER A SHALLOW DITCH, HIT A FENCE AND A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS AND CAME TO REST ON AN EMBANKMENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N81705 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.