- Date
- September 27, 2017, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Geneseo, NY
- Injuries
- 2 minor; on the ground: 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N38633Piper J5A
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170927014189A
- Case key
- 96102
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 a hand propeller start, which resulted in the airplane moving forward and colliding with maintenance equipment.
Findings · 4
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, during a hand propeller start, the tailwheel-equipped airplane was secured by having the passenger stand in front of the horizontal stabilizer. He added that, as he rotated the propeller with the throttle "cracked," the engine started, but "it ran fast enough" to break the passenger's hold. As the airplane began to move forward, he grabbed onto the lower right-wing strut in an attempt to enter the airplane. Subsequently, he let go, the left main landing gear ran over his shoulder, and the airplane stuck maintenance equipment. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that the throttle was "cracked a little more than it should have been." He added that he did not use wheel chocks before attempting the start. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during a hand propeller start, the tailwheel-equipped airplane was secured by having the passenger stand in front of the horizontal stabilizer. He added that, as he rotated the propeller with the throttle "cracked", the engine started, but "it ran fast enough" to break the passenger's hold. As the airplane began to move forward, he grabbed onto the lower right-wing strut in an attempt to enter the airplane. Subsequently, he let go, the left main landing gear ran over his shoulder, and the airplane stuck maintenance equipment. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that, the throttle was "cracked a little more than it should have been." He added that, he did not use wheel chocks before attempting the start. The pilot did not report that there were any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38633
- Reported as
- Piper J5A (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5-1016
- Built
- 1941
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- D52 · Geneseo, NY
- Destination
- D52 · Geneseo, NY
- Airport
- D52 · Geneseo
- Equipment
- None
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
- 70
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed
- Last flight review
- September 11, 2017
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 189 total · 11 in this make and model · 132 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KDSV, 15 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 13, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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 N38633 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.