- Date
- August 21, 1997, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Belleville, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N4630DBeech G35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 30, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970821023209A
- Case key
- 10680
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 planning/decision by failing to assure that the airplane was either tied down or chocked prior to pulling the propeller through, which started the engine with no one at the controls.
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 and passenger exited the unsecured airplane, so the pilot could move the propeller by hand '...off of the starter's 'dead spot.' The engine started, and the unoccupied airplane moved (taxied) across the airport. The airplane nosed over after contacting a chain link fence and a ditch. The pilot stated the throttle was set a 1,000 rpm, the mixture was rich, the battery and generator switches were on ,and he turned the magnetos off prior to exiting the airplane. Postaccident inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any failure/malfunction of the airplane's ignition system.
Factual narrative
On August 21, 1997, at 1515 eastern daylight time (edt), a Beech G35, N4630D, operated by a commercial pilot collided with a fence, and a ditch prior to nosing over near the Willow Run Airport, Belleville, Michigan. The engine started when the pilot moved the propeller by hand. Both the pilot and passenger who were outside the airplane when the engine started were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was to have originated from the Willow Run Airport.
The pilot stated that the engine was hot and he could not get it srated. He reported that the throttle was set at 1,000 rpm, the mixture was full rich, the battery and generator switches were on, and the magnetos were on; however, the recalled turning the magnetos off prior to exiting the airplane. He stated he and the passenger departed the airplane so he could "...manually turn the propeller off of the starter's "dead" spot." He stated that he moved the propeller slightly at which time the engine started.
The pilot reported that the airplane which was not tied down or secured with chocks started moving toward an FBO flight line. He stated he put pressure on the right wing in order to turn the airplane away from the flight line. He stated he turned the airplane 200 to 240 degrees to the right. The airplane traveled approximately one mile prior to contacting a chain link fence and a six foot deep ditch at which time it nosed over.
The airplane's ignition system was inspected by a Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Inspector. He reported that the "...magneto switch worked normally and that all magneto P-leads were properly installed and functional."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4630D
- Reported as
- Beech G35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-4799
- Airframe hours
- 3,402
- Engine
- Continental E225-8, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert M. Baynes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 10, 1997 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- YIP
- Destination
- TVC · Traverse City
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- YIP · Willow Run
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 929 total · 71 in this make and model · 865 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- YIP
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.