What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot attempted to start his aircraft engine, but found that the starter would not engage. Having had similar issues in the past, the pilot exited the aircraft and attempted to free the starter solenoid by tapping on it. After a second attempt to start the engine, the pilot exited the aircraft and tried to move the propeller to align the starter in a more favorable position. After moving the propeller roughly one full turn, the engine started and the aircraft began to move. The pilot was not injured when the engine started, and he attempted to catch the aircraft and reenter the cockpit. The aircraft travelled approximately 200 feet and collided with another aircraft that was tied down on the ramp, causing substantial damage to both. After the collision, the pilot was able to climb into the aircraft and shut the engine down.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START HIS AIRCRAFT ENGINE, BUT FOUND THAT THE STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE. HAVING HAD SIMILAR ISSUES IN THE PAST, THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND ATTEMPTED TO FREE THE STARTER SOLENOID BY TAPPING ON IT. AFTER A SECOND ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE, THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND TRIED TO MOVE THE PROPELLER TO ALIGN THE STARTER IN A MORE FAVORABLE POSITION. AFTER MOVING THE PROPELLER ROUGHLY ONE FULL TURN, THE ENGINE STARTED AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO MOVE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED, AND HE ATTEMPTED TO CATCH THE AIRCRAFT AND REENTER THE COCKPIT. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELLED APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT THAT WAS TIED DOWN ON THE RAMP, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH. AFTER THE COLLISION, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CLIMB INTO THE AIRCRAFT AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.