Aircraft Damaged After Collision with Ditch During Hand Propping (N7317T)

Accident Overview

The aircraft sustained damage when it collided with a ditch and overturned. The incident began after the pilot discovered that the aircraft's battery was dead and decided to start the engine by hand propping.

Details of the Incident

The pilot hand propped the engine without using wheel chocks and without an experienced individual present in the cockpit. The engine started successfully. As the pilot attempted to board the aircraft, a passenger advanced the throttle to prevent the engine from stalling. The aircraft began to roll across the ramp. The passenger then panicked and advanced the throttle further. The aircraft subsequently struck a ditch and flipped over, resulting in damage.

Pilot Decision

Before the hand propping attempt, fixed-base operator (FBO) personnel had informed the pilot that they would retrieve jumper cables to assist with the dead battery. The pilot chose not to wait for their return and proceeded with the hand propping procedure.