# Accident 20221029019702A: Stephen J Hoffman MS-500, Houston, TX, October 29, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 29, 2022, 12:30 local time
- Place: Houston, TX
- Airport: Ellington Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Collision: Collision on the ground
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.6056° N, 95.1665° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6056&lon=-95.1665&mi=10
- Aircraft: N778MS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N778MS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Stephen J Hoffman MS-500 (registry code 05634S6, https://openairdocs.org/model/stephen-j-hoffman-ms-500) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Argus AS10-P (registry code 05406, https://openairdocs.org/engine/argus-as10-p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: STEPHEN J HOFFMAN MS-500
- Reported engine: ARGUS AS10-P
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 500 total, 57 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA023) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221029019702A

## Narrative

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

IIC STATEMENT: THERE WERE SEVERAL EYEWITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT AND THIS STATEMENT HAS EXCERPTS FROM THEIR OBSERVATIONS AND PILOT STATEMENT.

THE PILOT OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONDUCTED A NORMAL PREFLIGHT IN PREPARATION OF FLYING WITH A GROUP OF TRAINER AND OBSERVATION AIRPLANES AT THE HOUSTON AIRSHOW. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS IN THE BACK ROW OF THE PARKING AREA ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RAMP. THE PILOT STATED THE WEATHER WAS COOL OVERNIGHT AND THE OIL IN THE ENGINE WAS MORE VISCOUS THAN USUAL. THE PILOT TRIED TO START THE AIRCRAFT WHEN ALL ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST. THE PILOT STATED HE TURNED OFF ALL SWITCHES AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. HE OPENED THE AFT COMPARTMENT BEHIND THE COCKPIT AND DISCOVERED THE MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED AND HE LEFT IT IN THAT CONDITION. THE PILOT RETRIEVED THE HAND CRANK WITH THE INTENTION OF TURNING OVER THE ENGINE SEVERAL REVOLUTIONS TO LOOSEN THE OIL. THE PILOT TURNED THE ENGINE OVER SEVERAL REVOLUTIONS AND IT STARTED. THE CHOCKS WERE REMOVED EARLIER IN PREPARATION FOR THE FLIGHT AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO MOVE. SEVERAL GROUND PERSONNEL ALONG WITH THE PILOT GRABBED THE AIRPLANE IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP IT.  THE PILOT WAS MOVING BACKWARDS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE AIRPLANE AND STUMBLED TO THE GROUND. HE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES WITH A SMALL CUT ON THE HEAD AND SCRAPED KNEE.GROUND PERSONNEL REPORTED MINOR INJURIES WITH SCRAPES AND ROAD RASH.

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PROCEEDED WESTBOUND GAINING SPEED TOWARD TWO AIRCRAFT PARKED NEXT TO THE TAXIWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED A STRAIT PATH CONTINUING EAST COLLIDING WITH A PARKED B-25 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND AN A-26 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STRUCK THE B-25 FIRST. THE LEFT WING OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HIT AND WENT OVER THE TOP OF THE LEFT WING OF THE A-26. THE AIRCRAFT PASSED BETWEEN THE WING TIPS OF THE B-25 AND A-26. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^’S RIGHT WING PASSED OVER THE A-26 AND HUNG UP ON THE NUMBER 1 ENGINE PROPELLER INITIATING A RIGHT 270-DEGREE GROUND LOOP. THAT CAUSED THE LEFT WING OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO HANG UP ON THE TOP WING OF THE A-26. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL BROKE OFF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STOPPING THE AIRCRAFT BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. A CREWMEMBER FROM THE A-26 REACHED IN THE COCKPIT AND PULLED THE THROTTLE BACK.  THE CREWMEMBER STATED THE THROTTLE WAS ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF ITS TRAVEL.

## Other aircraft in the event

- N9643C, North American B-25J: no report for this aircraft; [N9643C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9643C) is registered now

## 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 CEN23LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA023), Oct 29, 2022: Stephen J Hoffman MS-500 (N778MS), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to secure the magneto switch before attempting to hand rotate the engine which resulted in an inadvertent engine start, a runaway airplane, and subsequent impact with parked…

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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