Piper PA-24-180 N7004P

Summary

On 12 February 2002 at about 23:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-180 registered N7004P was involved in an accident near Scappoose, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 February 2002 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Scappoose, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Scappoose (SPB)

Coordinates

45.7725, -121.8622

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-180

Registration

N7004P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Scappoose → Scappoose

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA02LA040

1 person died.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.