- Date
- February 27, 2024, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Dallesport, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Prior to flight
- Aircraft
- N518SWPiper PA-18A 150
- Defining event
- Prior to flight: AC/prop/rotor contact w person
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20240227002949A
- Case key
- 193877
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 failure to disengage the ignition prior to moving the propeller by hand resulting in the inadvertent starting of the engine.
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 stated that he was preparing to fly the airplane with a new propeller that had been recently installed. During a few recent experiences, the propeller would get stuck at top dead center and would only turn normally after multiple start attempts. On the day of the accident, the propeller was stuck at top dead center again after an unsuccessful attempt to start the engine. The pilot walked to the front of the airplane and stood on one of the floats to reposition the propeller, at which time the engine started up immediately and the pilot was struck by one of the propeller blades. According to the airport manager who arrived several minutes after the accident, he observed the ignition switch in the ON position. The pilot further remarked that he must have forgotten to turn off the magnetos before he moved the propeller. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N518SW
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4389
- Built
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 715
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C4P, 180 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 28, 2023 · 63 hours before
- Airport
- DLS · Columbia Gorge Rgnl/The Dalles Muni
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 44
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 10, 2023
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 194 total · 78 in this make and model · 156 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KDLS
- METAR
- METAR KDLS 271653Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT055 OVC075 06/M01 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP192 T00561006 $=
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2024, 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.