- Date
- March 22, 2014, 10:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Mt Olive, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N8988BCessna 172B
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140322003059A
- Case key
- 88986
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 adequately secure the airplane before hand-propping the engine for startup.
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
According to the pilot, when he attempted to start the airplane, "the battery was low." He exited the airplane, instructed the passenger to remain in the airplane and how to turn the magnetos on and off, and he utilized the tail tie down hook and secured the tail down with a rope on the ramp. The pilot hand-propped the engine, it started, the throttle was "too far in," and the airplane accelerated forward. The "old" tie down rope broke, the airplane continued forward, and the passenger in the airplane turned the magnetos to the "OFF" position. However, the airplane impacted a hangar and then came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and right wing during the accident sequence. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane, other than the low battery, that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, when he attempted to start the airplane, "the battery was low." He exited the airplane, instructed the passenger to remain in the airplane and how to turn the magnetos on and off, and he utilized the tail tie down hook and secured the tail down with a rope on the ramp. The pilot hand-propped the engine, it started, the throttle was "too far in," and the airplane accelerated forward. The "old" tie down rope broke, the airplane continued forward, and the passenger in the airplane turned the magnetos to the "OFF" position. However, the airplane impacted a hangar and then came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and right wing during the accident sequence. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane, other than the low battery, that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8988B
- Reported as
- Cessna 172B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 36688
- Built
- 1958
- Airframe hours
- 2,949
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 19, 2014
- Departed
- W40 · Mt Olive, NC
- Destination
- W40 · Mt Olive, NC
- Airport
- W40 · Mount Olive Muni
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 21, 2013
- Seat
- None
- Flight hours
- 85 total · 85 in this make and model · 60 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- GSB, 9 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 MB 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.