- Date
- August 24, 2009, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sugar Land, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N1988MCessna 182P
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20090824015909A
- Case key
- 74608
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 during engine startup, and his failure to maintain clearance from other objects.
Findings · 3
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
According to the written statement provided by the pilot, he experienced an unexpected power surge during the engine start. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the airplane surged forward and the pilot was not able to arrest the forward travel. The pilot reported that he was concerned about impacting an adjacent hanger and turned the airplane left while reducing power. The airplane impacted an adjacent Piper PA-30 airplane. According to the FAA a 30-inch span of the leading edge of the right wing was crushed aft bending two ribs. An examination of the airplane, engine, and brakes revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
According to the written statement provided by the pilot, he experienced an unexpected power surge during the engine start. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the airplane surged forward and the pilot was not able to arrest the forward travel. The pilot reported that he was concerned about impacting an adjacent hanger and turned the airplane left while reducing power. The airplane impacted an adjacent Piper PA-30 airplane. According to the FAA a 30-inch span of the leading edge of the right wing was crushed aft bending two ribs. An examination of the airplane, engine, and brakes revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1988M
- Reported as
- Cessna 182P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18264517
- Airframe hours
- 5,379
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SGR · Sugerland, TX
- Destination
- SGR · Sugerland, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- SGR · Sugar Land Regional Airport
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
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,700 total · 129 in this make and model · 4,550 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KSRG
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 16, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 434 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.