- Date
- March 8, 2008, 10:55 local (14:55 UTC)
- Place
- Charlottesville, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N733LECessna 172N
- Defining event
- Taxi: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080308857699A
- Case key
- 67635
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 improper engine starting procedures.
Findings · 2
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 attempted to start the engine of the Cessna 172, but was unsuccessful, so he decided to "hand-prop" the engine. As he rotated the propeller from right to left, the engine started, and the airplane began to roll forward. The airplane continued across the airport ramp and impacted two other airplanes before it came to a stop. The accident airplane received substantial damage to its fuselage, and both parked airplanes were also substantially damaged.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he attempted to start the engine of the Cessna 172, but was unsuccessful, so he decided to "hand-prop" the engine. As he rotated the propeller from right to left, the engine started, and the airplane began to roll forward. The airplane continued across the airport ramp and impacted two other airplanes before it came to a stop. The accident airplane received substantial damage to its fuselage, and both parked airplanes were also substantially damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733LE
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268368
- Airframe hours
- 4,137
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Regan Stoutermire
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 1, 2008
- Departed
- CHO · Charlottesville, VA
- Airport
- CHO · Charlottesville-Albemarle
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2007
- Flight hours
- 1,136 total · 899 in this make and model · 1,071 as pilot in command · 214 in the last 90 days · 74 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.45 inHg
- Observed at
- CHO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.