On August 30, 1988, an Aeronca 7CCM (registration N85294) operated by Charles A.cooper was involved in an aviation accident near Weiner, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inability to access the cockpit after engine start, which resulted in the uncontrolled movement of the aircraft into obstacles. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot hand-propped a starterless aircraft but could not open the cockpit door, causing the plane to taxi into farm equipment while ferrying it for inspection without a permit.
What happened
The incident occurred during a ferry flight intended to transport an aircraft for its annual inspection. The pilot attempted to start the engine by hand-propping the starterless aircraft. Following the successful ignition, the pilot encountered a mechanical failure that prevented access to the cockpit controls. Unable to enter the cabin or shut down the engine from the exterior, the aircraft began to move under its own power.
The uncontrolled taxi continued until the aircraft collided with nearby farm implements. The pilot had not obtained the necessary ferry permit for this operation, which is typically required for flights where an aircraft may not meet all airworthiness requirements or has certain inoperative equipment.
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to access the cockpit after engine start, which resulted in the uncontrolled movement of the aircraft into obstacles.