20190130023809I

Incident · Destroyed

FAA incident report · Beech V35B · Modesto, CA · January 30, 2019

Date: January 30, 2019 · 14:17 local
Place: Modesto, CA
Airport: Modesto City-County-Harry Sham
Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N18493
Reported as: Beech V35B
Reported engine: Continental IO-520 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,250 total

N18493Registration cancelled Apr 3, 2020 · Beech V35BS/N D-10069 · Built 1977 Airframe modelBeech V35B Engine modelContinental IO-520 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.

On January 30, 2019, N18493 a Beechcraft bonaza V35B was involved in an unmanned incident, causing the aircraft to be destroyed. During startup of the aircraft, the pilot was unable to start the engine due to a possible low battery. The pilot got out of the aircraft to retrieve a power cart. While he was getting the power cart, the passenger got out of the aircraft and decided to pull on the propeller to loosen the engine. Unfortunately, the pilot had left the magnetos in the on position, causing the engine to engage and start moving. The aircraft?s left wing struck a vehicle followed by hitting an airport parameter fence. There were no injuries reported, as no person was onboard the aircraft while it moved.

As the FAA filed it

ON JANUARY 30, 2019, N18493 A BEECHCRAFT BONAZA V35B WAS INVOLVED IN AN UNMANNED INCIDENT, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BE DESTROYED. DURING STARTUP OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE DUE TO A POSSIBLE LOW BATTERY. THE PILOT GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT TO RETRIEVE A POWER CART. WHILE HE WAS GETTING THE POWER CART, THE PASSENGER GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DECIDED TO PULL ON THE PROPELLER TO LOOSEN THE ENGINE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PILOT HAD LEFT THE MAGNETOS IN THE ON POSITION, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO ENGAGE AND START MOVING. THE AIRCRAFT?S LEFT WING STRUCK A VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY HITTING AN AIRPORT PARAMETER FENCE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED, AS NO PERSON WAS ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT WHILE IT MOVED.