- Date
- May 24, 2018, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Batavia, OH
- Injuries
- 2 minor; on the ground: 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N77922Luscombe 8
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180524005879A
- Case key
- 97315
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 student pilot’s use of an improper engine hand-propping procedure, which resulted in the airplane’s unexpected movement.
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 student pilot reported that, while hand-propping the engine, the engine started at full power, and the airplane jumped over the chocks and began moving in circles. Subsequently, to stop the airplane, an airport vehicle was driven into the airplane's tail. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student recommended that better control of the throttle could have prevented the accident.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that, while hand-propping the engine, the engine started at full power, and the airplane jumped over the chocks and began moving in circles. Subsequently, to stop the airplane, an airport vehicle was driven into the airplane's tail. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student recommended that better control of the throttle could have prevented the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N77922
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3649
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 1,672
- Engine
- Continental, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 2, 2018
- Departed
- I69 · Batavia, OH
- Destination
- I69 · Batavia, OH
- Airport
- I69 · Clermont County
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 75
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Unknown
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 106 total · 4 in this make and model · 106 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KLUK, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 2, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.