- Date
- January 26, 2010, 00:30 local (06:30 UTC)
- Place
- Russellville, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N647TBeech J35
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) not oper: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100126026739A
- Case key
- 75310
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 improper engine starting procedures.
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 pilot attempted to start the single-engine airplane via the electric starter but was unsuccessful. The pilot then elected to rotate the propeller by hand, to "loosen up" the engine enough to start. When the pilot rotated the propeller, the engine inadvertently started and the unoccupied airplane accelerated forward, until it impacted an open T-hangar. The accident airplane received substantial damage, the T-hangar was damaged, and a parked airplane received minor damage. The pilot added that the airplane's master switch and magnetos were not turned off, nor was the parking brake set prior to rotating the engine by hand.
Factual narrative
The pilot attempted to start the single-engine airplane via the electric starter, but was unsuccessful. So the pilot elected to rotate the propeller by hand, to "loosen up" the engine enough to start. When the pilot rotated the propeller, the engine inadvertently started and the unoccupied airplane accelerated forward, until it impacted an open T-hangar. The accident airplane received substantial damage, the T-hangar was damaged, and a parked airplane received minor damage. The pilot added that the airplane's master switch and magnetos were not turned off, nor was the parking brake set prior to rotating the engine by hand.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N647T
- Reported as
- Beech J35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-5608
- Airframe hours
- 4,944
- Engine
- Cont Motor I0-470 SERIES, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bge Enterprises LLC
- Registered owner
- Bge Enterprises LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 18, 2009
- Departed
- KRUE · Russellville, AR
- Destination
- KHRO · Harrison, AR
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KRUE · Russellville 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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 25, 2008
- Flight hours
- 673 total · 346 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Variable at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KRUE
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 10, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB 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.