- Date
- March 26, 2016, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Homestead, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Prior to flight
- Aircraft
- N55UAPiper PA24
- Defining event
- Prior to flight: Ground handling event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160326020959A
- Case key
- 92901
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 pilots decision to hand prop the airplane's engine without securing the airplane, resulting a runaway airplane and collision with a fence.
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 reported that he shut down the engine to reposition the airplane prior to finishing the run-up. Upon attempting to restart the engine, the airplane's battery charge was low and the engine would not start. The pilot further reported that he set the parking brake, and hand propped the engine. The airplane's engine started and the airplane began to move without the pilot on board. The airplane impacted the airport's perimeter fence, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he shut down the engine to reposition the airplane prior to finishing the run-up. Upon attempting to restart the engine, the airplane's battery charge was low and the engine would not start. The pilot further reported that he set the parking brake, and hand propped the engine. The airplane's engine started and the airplane began to move without the pilot on board. The airplane impacted the airport's perimeter fence, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55UA
- Reported as
- Piper PA24 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-667
- Built
- 1959
- Airframe hours
- 2,953.88
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 2016
- Departed
- X51 · Homestead, FL
- Destination
- X51 · Homestead, FL
- Airport
- X51 · Homestead General Aviation
- 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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2014
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 226.5 total · 78 in this make and model · 78 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KHST, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 12, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 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.
Other investigations on N55UA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.