- Date
- June 18, 2009, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Collins, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N95144Cessna 152
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 10, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20090618009329A
- Case key
- 74076
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 control the airplane after engine startup, resulting in a ground collision with a nearby airplane.
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 accident happened on the first flight of the day. The pilot primed the engine using the mixture and set the throttle at the "half" position. The pilot reported that during engine start he placed his feet on the brakes and the engine rpms went to 2,400 rpm immediately; the airplane then started moving forward. The pilot applied the brakes and reduced the throttle; however, the airplane continued to accelerate forward. The airplane impacted a parked Cessna 206, resulting in the partial separation of the accident airplane's right wing and damge to the Cessna 206's propeller and windshield. An examination of the accident airplane's engine, carburetor, throttle assembly, and brakes revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
The accident happened on the first flight of the day. The pilot primed the engine using the mixture and setting the throttle at a "half" position. The pilot placed his feet on the brakes. The pilot reported that during the engine start the engine rpm went to 2,400 rpm immediately and the airplane started moving forward. The pilot applied the brakes and reduced the throttle; however, the airplane continued to accelerate forward. The airplane impacted a parked Cessna 206, resulting in the partial separation of the right wing. An examination of the airplane engine, carburetor, throttle assembly, and brakes revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95144
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285857
- Airframe hours
- 10,478.6
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, 1,150 lbs thrust, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 10, 2008
- Departed
- KFNL · Fort Collins, CO
- Destination
- KFNL · Fort Collins, CO
- Airport
- KFNL · Fort Collins-Loveland
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 29, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 93 total · 4 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KFNL
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 521 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.
Other investigations on N95144 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.