- Date
- April 28, 2001, 14:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Greenville, SC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N86217Aeronca 11AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 27, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20010428008889A
- Case key
- 52166
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 failure of the pilot to obtain the assistance of a person to act as a safety pilot while hand propping the engine with the airplane tied down. A factor in the accident was the failure of the tie down rope.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The annual inspection was overdue; the pilot had a ferry permit to fly the airplane to the place where the annual inspection was to be performed. With the assistance of a safety pilot on board the airplane which was tied down, he was unable to start the engine. He left the airport and obtained "starter fluid" but when he returned there was no person around to act as a safety pilot. He rechecked the rope used to tied down the airplane and found it secure. He was able to start the engine with the aid of the starter fluid and when near the pilot's side door, the rope broke. He grabbed the lift strut but was unable to stop the airplane which was going in circles; there was no assistance from individuals on the ground. He released the lift strut then some time later he grabbed the lift strut again and forced the airplane into trees.
Factual narrative
On April 28, 2001, about 1445 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 11AC, N86217, registered to a private individual, collided with trees after the engine started while hand propping the engine at the Greenville Downtown Airport, Greenville, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the intended 14 CFR Part 91 ferry flight. The unoccupied airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, sustained minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The annual inspection was overdue; the pilot had a ferry permit to fly the airplane to the place where the annual inspection was to be performed. With the assistance of a safety pilot on board the airplane which was tied down, he was unable to start the engine. He left the airport and obtained "starter fluid" but when he returned there was no person around to act as a safety pilot. He rechecked the rope used to tied down the airplane and found it secure. He was able to start the engine with the aid of the starter fluid and when near the pilot's side door, the rope broke. He grabbed the lift strut but was unable to stop the airplane which was going in circles; there was no assistance from individuals on the ground. He released the lift strut, then some time later he grabbed the lift strut again and forced the airplane into trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N86217
- Reported as
- Aeronca 11AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11AC-21
- Airframe hours
- 1,267
- Engine
- Continental A65-8F, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph T. Hinson, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 2000 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- KGMU · Greenville, SC
- Destination
- KLKR · Lancaster, SC
- Airport
- KGMU · Greenville Downtown
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
- 54
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- June 23, 2000
- Flight hours
- 1,282 total · 3 in this make and model · 1,189 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- KGMU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.