- Date
- May 16, 1999, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Omak, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N73040Cessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 23, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990516005289A
- Case key
- 46442
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to properly secure the aircraft before hand-propping.
Analysis
Because of a low battery situation, the pilot elected to hand-prop the airplane. Once started, the aircraft rolled approximately 100 feet across the tarmac and collided with a hangar. The pilot was unable to gain access to the aircraft before it collided with the hangar. The aircraft's parking brake was not properly set and the wheels were not chocked.
Factual narrative
On May 16, 1999 about 1000 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N73040, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with a hanger at Omak Airport, Omak, Washington. The pilot was not injured and there was no report of a fire or activation of the aircraft's ELT.
Because of a low battery situation, the pilot elected to hand-prop the airplane. The pilot stated he set the aircraft's parking brake and proceeded to start the engine. Once started, the aircraft rolled approximately 100 feet across the tarmac and collided with a hanger. The pilot was unable to gain access to the aircraft before it collided with the hanger. He stated the aircraft's parking brake was not completely set and the aircraft was not chocked.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73040
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17267247
- Airframe hours
- 3,841
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Harlan M. Warner
- Registered owner
- Okanogan Flight Center
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 1999 · 0 hours before
- Destination
- S35 · Okanogan, WA
- Airport
- OMK · Omack Municipal
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,660 total · 1,700 in this make and model · 2,537 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OMK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.