CHI07CA143

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28R-200 · Cincinnati, OH · May 9, 2007

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 9, 2007, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
Place
Cincinnati, OH
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N15027Piper PA-28R-200
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 27, 2007
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20070509009089A
Case key
65889

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's improper decision to leave the aircraft unattended while the engine was running. A factor in the accident was the disengagement of the parking brake.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterTaxi
Landing gear,parking brake - disengagedFactor
Aircraft unattended/engine(s) runningPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectTaxi
Object - aircraft parked/standing

Analysis

The airplane was involved in a ground collision with two other parked and standing airplanes. The pilot stated that the battery was not strong enough to turn the engine over, so he pulled his car up and attached the jumper cable to the outer jump device. He started the engine, reduced the power to idle, and applied the parking brake. He then waited thirty seconds to a minute to ensure the airplane was not capable of moving. He left the cockpit, removed the jumper cable, and climbed on the wing to re-enter the cockpit. As he was climbing on the wing, the parking brake let loose, and the sudden movement caused him to lose his balance and fall off of the wing. Before he could catch up to the aircraft, it clipped one aircraft near the propeller and ran into the second aircraft at less than five miles per hour. An inspection of the airplane revealed no pre-impact anomalies.

Factual narrative

The airplane was substantially damaged when it was involved in a ground collision with two other parked and standing airplanes. Both other airplanes were substantially damaged. The pilot stated that the battery was not strong enough to turn the engine over, so he pulled his car up and attached the jumper cable to the outer jump device. He started the engine, reduced the power to idle, and applied the parking brake. He then waited thirty seconds to a minute to ensure the airplane was not capable of moving. He left the cockpit, removed the jumper cable, and climbed on the wing to re-enter the cockpit. As he was climbing on the wing, the parking brake let loose, and the sudden movement caused him to lose his balance and fall off of the wing. Before he could catch up to the aircraft, it clipped one aircraft near the propeller and ran into the second aircraft at less than five miles per hour. An inspection of the airplane revealed no pre-impact anomalies.

Aircraft

Registration
N15027
Reported as
Piper PA-28R-200
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28R-7235320
Airframe hours
7,550
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · January 1, 2007
Departed
ISZ · Cincinnati, OH
Airport
ISZ · Cincinnati-Blue Ash 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
63
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
June 1, 2006
Seat
Left
Flight hours
348 total · 270 in this make and model · 270 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 50 °F
Altimeter
30.02 inHg
Observed at
KLUK, 9 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 13, 2007, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 366 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.