- Date
- August 8, 2009, 20:11 local (Aug 9, 2009, 04:11 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N95723Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) operating: AC/prop/rotor contact w person
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA - East Operations
- FAA report
- 20090808048079A
- Case key
- 74493
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to remain clear of the propeller after starting the float-equipped airplane's engine by hand-propping.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The commercial pilot related that he was preparing to depart on a local personal flight, operating under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. He wrote in his report to the NTSB that he was attempting to start the float-equipped airplane's engine while standing on the left float by hand-propping when he was struck by the prop. The pilot stated “I swung the prop, the engine caught, and the aircraft swung slightly left in a collision course with the dock.” The pilot received serious injury when he stuck his leg in the path of the propeller while attempting to prevent the airplane from colliding with the dock. He indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. The pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented if he had started the airplane by standing on the right float as he normally does, or by shutting the engine off before trying to avoid the collision.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot related that he was preparing to depart on a local personal flight, operating under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. He wrote in his report to the NTSB that he was attempting to start the float-equipped airplane's engine while standing on the left float by hand-propping when he was struck by the prop. The pilot stated “I swung the prop, the engine caught, and the aircraft swung slightly left in a collision course with the dock.” The pilot received serious injury when he stuck his leg in the path of the propeller while attempting to prevent the airplane from colliding with the dock. He indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. The pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented if he had started the airplane by standing on the right float as he normally does, or by shutting the engine off before trying to avoid the collision.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95723
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8023
- Airframe hours
- 4,150
- Engine
- Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ferris David P
- Registered owner
- Ferris David P
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 4, 2008
- Departed
- LHD · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- LHD · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- LHD · Lake Hood Seaplane Base
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 10, 2009
- Flight hours
- 850 total · 240 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 14, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 623 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.