- Date
- May 25, 1997, 14:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Houghton, MI
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N8872JPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970525011919A
- Case key
- 10579
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 starting procedures and failure to set the parking brakes.
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 pilot decided to exit the airplane and pull the propeller through by hand because the engine starter motor would not engage. The airplane was not chocked or tied down and the magneto switch was on. The airplane started and began taxiing with two passengers in the rear seats. The pilot was unable to get in the airplane prior to it striking another airplane which was parked on the ramp.
Factual narrative
On May 25, 1997, at 1410 eastern daylight time (edt), a Piper PA- 28-180, N8872J, owned and operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged after striking a parked airplane at the Houghton County Memorial Airport, Houghton, Michigan. The pilot was hand propping the airplane when it started and taxied with two passengers on board. The pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed.
According to the pilot's written statement, he attempted to start the engine but the starter motor would not engage. The pilot exited the airplane and attempted to pull the propeller through by hand several times. He then attempted to start the engine but still the starter motor would not engage. He exited the airplane again to pull the propeller though by hand and this time the engine started. The airplane began taxiing on the ramp with two passengers in the aft seats and no one at the controls. The pilot was unable to board the airplane which consequently struck another airplane which was parked on the ramp.
Inspection of the airplane revealed that the it was not chocked or tied down and the magneto switch was in the on position. The ramp area revealed no skid marks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8872J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-2844
- Airframe hours
- 2,618
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Steven Ray Miner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 25, 1996 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- CMX
- Destination
- CMX
- Airport
- CMX · Houghton County Memorial
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
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 917 total · 600 in this make and model · 862 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CMX
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.