On April 20, 1991, an Aeronca 7BCM (registration N81578) operated by Michael A. Perdue was involved in an aviation accident near Elma, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT USED INADEQUATE STARTING PROCEDURES. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT DID NOT USE PROPER ASSISTANCE AND THE PASSENGER'S INADVERTENT CONTROL INTERFERENCE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During pre-flight, a pilot placed chocks and then turned the propeller by hand, causing the engine to start at high RPM. The aircraft jumped the chocks and, after swinging around, struck a parked Piper.
Incident Overview
During pre-flight preparations, the pilot placed chocks in front of the main landing gear. After returning to the cockpit to turn on the fuel, the pilot went to the propeller to manually rotate the engine. As the pilot turned the propeller, the engine started at a high RPM.
Sequence of Events
The sudden engine start caused the aircraft to jump the chocks and move forward. The pilot attempted to hold onto the right wing as the aircraft swung around. During the first swing, the aircraft narrowly missed nearby fuel pumps and a parked Piper aircraft. However, as the aircraft came around for a second swing, it collided with the right side of the parked Piper.
Aftermath
The incident involved a ground collision between the moving aircraft and a stationary Piper. No further details about damage or injuries are available from the source.