- Date
- July 3, 2009, 11:25 local (15:25 UTC)
- Place
- Westminster, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N1397EChampion 7AC
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 74223
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 properly set the throttle for start.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he attempted to start the engine by "hand-propping." The engine started briefly and then stopped. The pilot added that he then primed the engine but "forgot the throttle in the full open position." He hand-propped the engine again, and it started. The airplane began to accelerate forward and became airborne. The airplane flew down a ravine and collided into trees. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if the airplane had been tied down during the engine start.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he attempted to start the engine by "hand-propping." The engine started briefly and then stopped. The pilot added that he then primed the engine but "forgot the throttle in the full open position." He hand-propped the engine again, and it started. The airplane began to accelerate forward and became airborne. The airplane flew down a ravine and collided into trees. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if the airplane had been tied down during the engine start.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1397E
- Reported as
- Champion 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-4959
- Airframe hours
- 4,858
- Engine
- Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2008
- Departed
- 2W2 · Westminster, MD
- Destination
- W48 · Baltimore, MD
- Airport
- 2W2 · Clearview Airpark, runway 32, 1,840 × 30 ft, asphalt
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 31, 2008
- Flight hours
- 8,600 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 8,500 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- DMW, 8 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 24, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 750 KB in all.