Primary finding
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to use adequate procedures for hand priming (hand propping) the engine.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot noted that the battery power was low, so he decided to 'hand prime' the engine. The airplane was not chocked or tied down, and the mag switch was (inadvertently left) on. The engine started with no one in the airplane, and the airplane began moving (taxiing). Subsequently, it struck a parked airplane on the ramp and continued moving until it impacted the airport's windsock.
Source record
Factual narrative
On February 16, 1996, at about 2100 central standard time (cst), a Piper PA-28, N9793J, owned and operated by a private pilot, was destroyed after striking several objects at the Larned-Pawnee County Airport, Larned, Kansas. The pilot was hand propping the airplane when it started and taxied with no one on board. The pilot reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed. From the pilot's written statement he stated that the airplane had not been flown for some time so he decided to hand prime the engine due to low battery power. The airplane was not chocked or tied down and the mag switch was positioned to the on position. The airplane started and began taxiing with no one board. The pilot began steering the airplane using the wing tip as a control and avoided the gas pump but collided with another airplane on the ramp. The airplane ran under the right wing of the other airplane and tore off the tail section of the airplane taxiing. The airplane then taxied across the airfield and came to rest after impacting the windsock on the airfield. -