20160720011339A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aeronca 7BCM/CONV · Connellsville, PA · July 20, 2016

Date: July 20, 2016 · 10:30 local
Place: Connellsville, PA
Airport: Connellsville
Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1639E
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA16CA264
Reported as: Aeronca 7BCM/Conv
Reported engine: Continental C85-8
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 700 total425 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N1639ERegistration cancelled Feb 7, 2017 · Aeronca 7BCM/CONVS/N 7AC-5204 · Built 1946 Airframe modelAeronca 7BCM/CONV Engine modelContinental C85-8Reciprocating

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.

The pilot initially hand propped the aircraft engine (aircraft not equipped with an electric starter), got in the aircraft and began to taxi. The aircraft engine began to sputter and stalled. The pilot then realized he had left the fuel selector in the off position. He set the brakes (mechanical style), turned on the fuel, and exited the aircraft. He again hand propped the aircraft. The engine started and accelerated to a high RPM. The pilot realized he had not retarded the throttle back from when he was taxiing. The brakes could not hold the aircraft and it began to spin in circles. The pilot tried to get in the aircraft, but the door swung shut. The aircraft struck the pilot with the tail of the aircraft twice and was severely damaged. The aircraft eventually ran into a hangar, substantially damaging the aircraft wings, fuselage and prop by striking the hangar. The pilot was taken to the hospital with severe injuries via medical helicopter.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT INITIALLY HAND PROPPED THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE (AIRCRAFT NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRIC STARTER), GOT IN THE AIRCRAFT AND BEGAN TO TAXI. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND STALLED. THE PILOT THEN REALIZED HE HAD LEFT THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE OFF POSITION. HE SET THE BRAKES (MECHANICAL STYLE), TURNED ON THE FUEL, AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. HE AGAIN HAND PROPPED THE AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINE STARTED AND ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RPM. THE PILOT REALIZED HE HAD NOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE BACK FROM WHEN HE WAS TAXIING. THE BRAKES COULD NOT HOLD THE AIRCRAFT AND IT BEGAN TO SPIN IN CIRCLES. THE PILOT TRIED TO GET IN THE AIRCRAFT, BUT THE DOOR SWUNG SHUT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE PILOT WITH THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT TWICE AND WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE AIRCRAFT EVENTUALLY RAN INTO A HANGAR, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT WINGS, FUSELAGE AND PROP BY STRIKING THE HANGAR. THE PILOT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE INJURIES VIA MEDICAL HELICOPTER.

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 ERA16CA264Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportConnellsville, PAThe pilot's failure to properly set the throttle and secure the airplane before hand-propping the engine for startup.Jul 20, 2016 · Substantial damage