Piper J5A N38633

Summary

On 27 September 2017 at about 16:45 local time, a Piper J5A registered N38633 was involved in an accident near Geneseo, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 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

27 September 2017 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Geneseo, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Geneseo (D52)

Coordinates

42.7986, -77.8425

Aircraft

Piper J5A

Registration

N38633

Category

Airplane

Year built

1941

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Geneseo → Geneseo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA560

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to properly secure the airplane before a hand propeller start, which resulted in the airplane moving forward and colliding with maintenance equipment.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during a hand propeller start, the tailwheel-equipped airplane was secured by having the passenger stand in front of the horizontal stabilizer. He added that, as he rotated the propeller with the throttle "cracked," the engine started, but "it ran fast enough" to break the passenger's hold. As the airplane began to move forward, he grabbed onto the lower right-wing strut in an attempt to enter the airplane. Subsequently, he let go, the left main landing gear ran over his shoulder, and the airplane stuck maintenance equipment. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that the throttle was "cracked a little more than it should have been." He added that he did not use wheel chocks before attempting the start. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.