20110422012151A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper J3C-65 · Westfield, MA · April 22, 2011

Date: April 22, 2011 · 18:43 local
Place: Westfield, MA
Airport: Westfield-Barnes
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision: Collision on the ground
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N10674
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA11CA261
Reported as: Piper J3C-65
Reported engine: Continental A&C65 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 751 total67 in this make and model92 in the last 90 days

N10674Registered now · Piper J3C-65S/N 20168 Airframe modelPiper J3C-65 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.

This Piper cub was designed with no electrical system for starting. The pilot briefed the non-rated passenger on hand propping procedures with the passenger located at the front seat controls. The pilot cracked the throttle 1/8 to 1/4 open then pushed on the propeller to confirm the passenger was holding the brakes properly. The pilot hand propped the engine. The engine RPM came up higher than normal over powering the brakes. The Piper cub moved 80 feet forward striking a parked Cessna 172 aircraft (N645PD). No injuries reported. Pilot taken to hospital with 2X higher than normal heart rate and was released after 2 hours.

As the FAA filed it

THIS PIPER CUB WAS DESIGNED WITH NO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR STARTING. THE PILOT BRIEFED THE NON-RATED PASSENGER ON HAND PROPPING PROCEDURES WITH THE PASSENGER LOCATED AT THE FRONT SEAT CONTROLS. THE PILOT CRACKED THE THROTTLE 1/8 TO 1/4 OPEN THEN PUSHED ON THE PROPELLER TO CONFIRM THE PASSENGER WAS HOLDING THE BRAKES PROPERLY. THE PILOT HAND PROPPED THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE RPM CAME UP HIGHER THAN NORMAL OVER POWERING THE BRAKES. THE PIPER CUB MOVED 80 FEET FORWARD STRIKING A PARKED CESSNA 172 AIRCRAFT (N645PD). NO INJURIES REPORTED. PILOT TAKEN TO HOSPITAL WITH 2X HIGHER THAN NORMAL HEART RATE AND WAS RELEASED AFTER 2 HOURS.

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 ERA11CA261Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWestfield, MAThe pilot's sole reliance on the passenger for securing the airplane during the engine start and the passenger's inability to maintain braking after the engine started.Apr 22, 2011 · Substantial damage