# NTSB SEA02LA040: Piper PA-24-180, N7004P, Scappoose, OR, February 12, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 12, 2002, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Scappoose, OR - Coordinates: 45.772499, -121.86222 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7725&lon=-121.8622&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report May 21, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA- Portland FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54192 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA02LA040 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54192/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54192 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA02LA040 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to tie down the aircraft prior to hand propping the engine. Factors were a fence, trees, and the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation. ## Analysis The pilot reported that he hand propped the engine because the electric starter would not start the engine. He instructed his passenger, seated in the right seat, in the use of the "T" handle brake system, which had to be pushed in for the Johnson brake bar to work. The pilot then set the throttle between one-quarter and three-eights of an inch. Once the engine started, the pilot observed that the engine produced high power and the aircraft began to move forward. The aircraft knocked down the pilot as it accelerated across the airport. The aircraft crossed the runway and a taxiway and collided with a fence and trees in a park to the west side of the airport. The pilot reported that he did not understand how the brake could have been released. No tie-downs or wheel chocks were used. ## Factual narrative On February 12, 2002, about 1500 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-24-180, N7004P, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a fence and trees at the Scappoose Industrial Airpark, Scappoose, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot received minor injuries and the passenger was fatally injured. During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the pilot reported that after fueling, attempts to start the engine with the electric starter were unsuccessful, therefore, he decided to hand prop the engine. The pilot stated that he "pulled the prop through six to seven times" to purge the fuel in the cylinders. After this was completed, he instructed his passenger, seated in the right seat, to turn on the master switch. The pilot then turned the magnetos to the both on position, enriched the mixture, and opened the throttle one-quarter to three-eighths of an inch. The pilot also instructed his passenger on the operation of the "T" handle brake system, which had to be pushed in for the Johnson brake bar to work. The pilot stated that he then "pushed on the cowl to verify the brake was set. It was. I pulled the prop, and the engine instantly started". The pilot then started to walk around the wing when the engine RPM increased to high RPM and the airplane began to move forward. The wing knocked the pilot down and the airplane continued to travel across the ramp toward the runway. The aircraft crossed the runway and a taxiway before colliding with a fence and subsequently trees in a park on the west side of the airport. The aircraft fuselage came to rest against a tree. Both wings and the left horizontal stabilizer separated from the fuselage. The pilot stated that he does not know how the brake could have been released, and he reported no mechanical malfunction or failure on the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form 6120.1/2. No ground tie down ropes or wheel chocks were used. An automated weather observation at Scappoose reported at 1453, clear skies with 10 miles visibility and wind from 330 degrees at 3 knots. Witnesses at the fuel pumps, reported to a Scappoose Police Department Officer, that the aircraft was traveling approximately 70 to 80 miles per hour when it collided with the fence and trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - tie down - not used, pilot in command (cause) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - object - fence (contributing factor) - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7004P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7004P-2014-11-13), registration cancelled 2014-11-13, S/N 24-2155, built 1960 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-24-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24) (registry code 7102402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-2155 - Airframe hours: 3045.2 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2001, 4.6 hours before - Departed: SPB, Scappoose, OR - Destination: SPB, Scappoose, OR - Airport: SPB, Scappoose ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 28, 2002; flight hours: 733 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: SPB ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020212000929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020212000929A), Feb 12, 2002: Piper PA24, Scappoose, OR, No damage, 1 fatal. (.19) On February 12, 2002, about 1500 pacific standard time, a Piper PA-24, N7004P, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR part 91 personal… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 27, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54192. 2.6 MB in all. - Supplement S (item 1, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155647&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387342&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Scappoose Police Department Incident Report (item 3, .PDF, 501 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155649&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Scappoose%20Police%20Department%20Incident%20Report-Master.PDF - Wreckage Diagram from Scappoose Police Department (item 4, .PDF, 73 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155652&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Wreckage%20Diagram%20from%20Scappoose%20Police%20Department-Master.PDF - Photo 1: Main aircraft wreckage. (item 5, .PDF, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155653&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Main%20aircraft%20wreckage.-Master.PDF - Photo 2: View of wreckage distribution. (item 6, .PDF, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155654&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20View%20of%20wreckage%20distribution.-Master.PDF - Photo 3: View of damaged fence facing toward airport from park. (item 7, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155655&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%3A%20View%20of%20damaged%20fence%20facing%20toward%20airport%20from%20park.-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.