What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot in command (PIC) arrived at Danbury Municipal Airport (kdxr) on June 28, 2014 with two passengers for the purpose of flying to martha?s vineyard airport (kmvy) to meet friends. All attempts by the PIC to start the engine using the starter failed. The PIC stated that when he turned the key nothing happened. He decided to start the aircraft using the hand-propping method. When the aircraft was being hand-propped it was not tied-down, no chocks were installed, the parking brake was not set, and the front passenger (who is not a pilot) was only told to hold the brakes. The front passenger was not shown how to properly use the brakes on an aircraft.
After three or four attempts hand-propping the engine started and before the pilot could enter the cockpit the aircraft began accelerating. The pilot stated he ran after the aircraft but was unable to catch up. The aircraft made a left 180 degree turn and impacted a parked Beech bonanza. That bonanza was then pushed back into another bonanza and a light sport aircraft.
Due to the impact with the other aircraft there was damage to the engine, propellor, left aileron and firewall of the accident aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) ARRIVED AT DANBURY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KDXR) ON JUNE 28, 2014 WITH TWO PASSENGERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FLYING TO MARTHA?S VINEYARD AIRPORT (KMVY) TO MEET FRIENDS. ALL ATTEMPTS BY THE PIC TO START THE ENGINE USING THE STARTER FAILED. THE PIC STATED THAT WHEN HE TURNED THE KEY NOTHING HAPPENED. HE DECIDED TO START THE AIRCRAFT USING THE HAND-PROPPING METHOD. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING HAND-PROPPED IT WAS NOT TIED-DOWN, NO CHOCKS WERE INSTALLED, THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT SET, AND THE FRONT PASSENGER (WHO IS NOT A PILOT) WAS ONLY TOLD TO HOLD THE BRAKES. THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS NOT SHOWN HOW TO PROPERLY USE THE BRAKES ON AN AIRCRAFT.
AFTER THREE OR FOUR ATTEMPTS HAND-PROPPING THE ENGINE STARTED AND BEFORE THE PILOT COULD ENTER THE COCKPIT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN ACCELERATING. THE PILOT STATED HE RAN AFTER THE AIRCRAFT BUT WAS UNABLE TO CATCH UP. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A LEFT 180 DEGREE TURN AND IMPACTED A PARKED BEECH BONANZA. THAT BONANZA WAS THEN PUSHED BACK INTO ANOTHER BONANZA AND A LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT.
DUE TO THE IMPACT WITH THE OTHER AIRCRAFT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, PROPELLOR, LEFT AILERON AND FIREWALL OF THE ACCIDENT 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.