- Date
- December 10, 2018, 10:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Chester, CT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N143GWZlin Z143
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181210017899A
- Case key
- 98750
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 loss of airplane control during the engine start.
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, during the initial engine start, he "cranked the engine several times," but the engine would not start. He then pumped the throttle about six times, and in a "split second," the engine surged to full rpm. He added that, despite fully applying the brakes, the airplane crossed over a ridge and went down an embankment. Subsequently, the airplane entered a parking lot, the left wing struck a lamp post, the airplane spun left, and it impacted another lamp post. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the initial engine start, he "cranked the engine several times", but the engine would not start. He then pumped the throttle about 6 times, and in a "split second" the engine surged to full RPM. He added that despite having the brakes fully applied, the airplane crossed over a ridge and down an embankment. Subsequently, the airplane entered a parking lot, the left wing struck a lamp post, the airplane spun left, and impacted a second lamp post. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N143GW
- Reported as
- Zlin Z143 (L)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0039
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 977
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J3A5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 2018
- Departed
- SNC · Chester, CT
- Destination
- 0B8 · Fishers Island, NY
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- SNC · Chester
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator
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
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 9, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,099 total · 27 in this make and model · 822 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 25 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KSNC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 1, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.