- Date
- January 9, 2000, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N6034PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000109014939A
- Case key
- 48436
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 failure to comply with proper procedures for engine startup by failing to disengage the magneto prior to hand-turning the propeller.
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 aircraft was parked on the ramp and the pilot unsuccessfully attempted to start the airplane's engine due to the cold temperature. He exited the airplane to turn the propeller to loosen it without intending to start it. He neglected to turn off the magnetos. The engine started and the pilot was struck in the head and the right elbow by the propeller. According to an excerpt from the starting section of the 1959 PA-24-250 Airplane Flight Manual, 'When the engine is cold (under 40 degrees F.), prime three to five strokes; if extremely cold, pull the propeller through by hand four to six times before turning on the key ignition to 'left' and engaging the starter button.'
Factual narrative
On January 9, 2000, approximately 1230 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6034P, registered to and operated by the pilot, was not damaged when the pilot was struck by the aircraft's propeller during engine startup at Coronado Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The private pilot was seriously injured and the two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight was filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The intended destination was Mid Valley Airpark, Los Lunas, New Mexico.
According to the pilot, he had planned a pleasure flight to Los Lunas with his wife and mother as passengers. With both of them seated in the aircraft while it was parked on the ramp, he attempted to start the engine but was unsuccessful. He stated that he had been having difficulty starting the engine due to the cold weather. He exited the airplane to "turn the propeller (not intending to start the engine but only to loosen the prop[eller]). [He] neglected to turn off the magnetos and therefore the engine started." The pilot was struck in the head and right elbow by the propeller.
According to an excerpt from the starting section of the 1959 PA-24-250 Airplane Flight Manual, "When the engine is cold (under 40 degrees F.), prime three to five strokes; if extremely cold, pull the propeller through by hand four to six times before turning on the key ignition to 'left' and engaging the starter button."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6034P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1130
- Airframe hours
- 2,852
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1A5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas R. Holley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 25, 1999 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- 4AC
- Destination
- E98 · Los Lunas, NM
- Airport
- 4AC · Coronado Airport
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 727 total · 147 in this make and model · 673 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.