- Date
- June 14, 1999, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ft. Calhoun, NE
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N57HRRussell Sport Trainer
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990614007469A
- Case key
- 46618
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 used an improper engine starting procedure in that he failed to reduce the throttle setting and to assure the airplane was adequately secured prior to starting.
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 chocked the left main gear and pulled the propeller through four times in an attempt to get the engine started. He was unable to start the engine and decided it was flooded. He went into the cockpit, opened the throttle and turned the magnetos off. He then pulled the propeller through in the opposite direction to clear the engine. He went back to the cockpit and turned the magnetos on, but forgot to reduce the throttle setting. He pulled the propeller through again and the engine started. The airplane turned to the left and traveled about 50 feet prior to contacting a hangar and coming to a stop.
Factual narrative
On June 14, 1999, at 1500 central daylight time (cdt), a Russell Sport Trainer, N57HR, contacted the pilot and airport hangars, while being hand propped at a Bil-Lo Field, in Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska. The private pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot was starting the airplane with the intention of making a local flight.
The pilot stated the airplane was parked facing east with buildings on both the north and south side of it. He chocked the left wheel of the airplane and attempted to start the engine. He reported, "After four attempts at pulling the prop to start it, I decided the engine was flooded. I went to the cab and shut off the magnetos and opened the throttle. I then went to the front of the plane and reversed the direction of the pull of the prop hoping to drain the engine. After completing the four pulls in the opposite direction I went to the cab of the plane and turned the magnetos back on and failed to shut the throttle down." The pilot once again pulled the propeller through and the engine started. The airplane turned to the north and traveled approximately 50 feet prior to contacting a hangar and coming to a stop.
The pilot reported, "There were two mistakes: (1) I should have had both wheels chalked and (2) I should have remembered to shut down the throttle when I went back for the second attempt to start the engine."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N57HR
- Reported as
- Russell Sport Trainer (SPORT TRAI)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1357
- Airframe hours
- 250
- Engine
- Franklin, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Harold Russell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 12, 1999 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- 95Y
- Destination
- 95Y
- Airport
- PVT · Bil-Lo Field
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
- 77
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.