# Accident 20150118000769A: Piper PA-28-161, Alexander City, AL, January 18, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 18, 2015, 18:30 local time
- Place: Alexander City, AL
- Airport: Thomas C Russell Fld
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.9147° N, 85.9628° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9147&lon=-85.9628&mi=10
- Aircraft: N104SA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N104SA-2018-01-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 600 total, 600 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA15CA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA107) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150118000769A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT FLEW FROM KHSV KALX. TAXIED AND SHUT DOWN AT SELF SERVICE PUMPS. NOTICED BATTERY LOW. DID NOT SET BRAKES OR CHALK AIRCRAFT. FUEL/PRIMED ENGINE 8 TIMES. FLOODED ENGINE. SET THROTTLE & MIXTURE FULL OPEN, HAND PROPPED ENGINE TO CLEAR CARBURETOR. HE SAW SMOKE COME FROM EXHAUST AND HAND PROPPED ENGINE AGAIN. THE ENGINE STARTED, IMMEDIATELY WENT TO FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED INTO HIM WITH THE RIGHT WING. PILOT GRABBED RIGHT WING AS AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED, PILOT FELL AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR RAN OVER HIS HEAD AND BODY. AIRCRAFT TAXIED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ACROSS THE RAMP AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH AFTER THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS SEPERATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. DAMAGE TO PROPELLER, NOSE GEAR, AND RIGHT WING SPAR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA15CA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA107), Jan 19, 2015: Piper PA-28-161 (N104SA), Alexander City, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to properly secure the airplane before hand-propping the engine for startup.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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