- Date
- November 26, 2006, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Warroad, MN
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N380SPCessna 172S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - Minneapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20061126029319A
- Case key
- 64964
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 propeller striking the individual who was positioning the propeller in anticipation of hand-propping the engine.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The propeller struck a person preparing to hand-prop the engine. The pilot stated that the cranking power of the airplane's battery was diminished because the airplane had been parked outside for an extended time in below freezing temperatures. The pilot was not able to get the engine started using the electric starter. The pilot reported that when the accident occurred he was seated in the airplane operating the engine controls. The pilot stated that the magnetos were off and the mixture lever was positioned at idle-cutoff. The pilot reported that as the individual positioned the propeller for the maximum leverage it "snapped [back]" due to cylinder compression and struck the person in the head.
Factual narrative
The propeller impacted the individual preparing to hand-prop an engine. The pilot stated that the cranking power of the airplane's battery was diminished because the airplane had been parked outside for an extended time in below freezing temperatures. The pilot was not able to get the engine started using the electric starter. The pilot reported that an acquaintance suggested hand-propping the engine, to which the pilot agreed. The pilot reported that when the accident occurred he was seated in the airplane operating the engine controls. The pilot stated that the magnetos were off and the mixture lever was positioned at idle-cutoff. The pilot reported that as the individual positioned the propeller for the maximum leverage it "snapped [back]" due to cylinder compression. The propeller impact fractured the individual's skull.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N380SP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8774
- Airframe hours
- 2,017.4
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Airlake Airwerx, LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 1, 2006
- Departed
- RRT · Warroad, MN
- Destination
- LVN · Lakeville, MN
- Airport
- RRT · Warroad International 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
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 225 total · 212 in this make and model · 190 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 19 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- RRD
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.