Accident Summary
A pilot experienced difficulty starting the engine of his aircraft due to a less than fully-charged battery. After exiting the aircraft and leaving his non-pilot passenger aboard with the magneto switch in the 'on' position, he attempted to slowly pull the propeller through the compression stroke by hand. The engine started as he barely rotated the propeller. The pilot jumped clear and watched as the aircraft moved across the ramp and collided with the tail of a parked and unoccupied Cessna 310.
Sequence of Events
The pilot, a former Navy aviator, attempted to start the engine but encountered difficulty because the battery was not fully charged. He then exited the aircraft, leaving his passenger inside. The magneto switch remained in the 'on' position. The pilot then manually rotated the propeller, intending to slowly pull it through the compression stroke. Upon barely rotating the propeller, the engine started unexpectedly. The pilot jumped clear, and the aircraft began moving across the ramp under its own power. It continued until it struck the tail of a parked Cessna 310, which was unoccupied at the time.
Aftermath
Following the incident, the pilot stated that to prevent a similar occurrence in the future, he would either have a competent person at the controls applying the brakes, or he would secure the tail and/or chock the wheels. No further details about injuries or damage were provided in the source.
Pilot's Comments
The pilot later remarked that the accident could be avoided by ensuring that either a qualified individual is inside the aircraft applying brakes during hand-propping, or by securing the aircraft with tail tiedowns and wheel chocks.