- Date
- April 11, 2010, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Louisburg, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N4699HPiper PA17
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100411031909I
- Case key
- 75726
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 secure the airplane before attempting to hand-prop the engine.
Findings · 1
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 the airplane was tied down on the right side, and the right main landing gear wheel was chocked. After hand-propping the engine, the airplane's tie-down rope "came loose," and the airplane "veered" into an adjacent hangar. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by "using a better quality tie-down rope, having a second pilot in the airplane holding the brakes, or by having both wheels chocked instead of just one."
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that the airplane was tied down on the right side, and the right main landing gear wheel was chocked. After hand-propping the engine, the airplane's tie-down rope "came loose," and the airplane "veered" into an adjacent hangar. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by "using a better quality tie-down rope, having a second pilot in the airplane holding the brakes, or by having both wheels chocked instead of just one."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4699H
- Reported as
- Piper PA17 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17-97
- Airframe hours
- 2,110
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Frank Edward Moore
- Registered owner
- Frank Edward Moore
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2009
- Departed
- LHZ · Louisburg, NC
- Destination
- LHZ · Louisburg, NC
- Airport
- LHZ · Franklin County
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Sport Pilot, Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- October 15, 2008
- Flight hours
- 650 total · 231 in this make and model · 484 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- LHZ
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 450 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.