On February 6, 1992, a Beech 55 (registration N9029V) operated by Neighbor, Ernest H was involved in an aviation accident near Wheeling, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The magnetos were left in the 'on' position when the pilot pulled through the propellers. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After being unable to start the engines with battery power, a pilot deplaned to hand-prop the propellers. The left engine started, and before the pilot could shut it down, the airplane circled and struck a golf cart.
Incident Description
After an unsuccessful attempt to start the engines using the battery, the pilot exited the aircraft to manually rotate the propellers. While pulling the left propeller through, the engine started. The pilot then attempted to re-enter the airplane to shut down the engine but was unable to do so. The aircraft subsequently traveled in several circular paths before contacting a golf cart, which brought it to a stop.
Post-Accident Inspection
A post-accident inspection revealed that the magnetos had been left in the 'on' position when the pilot pulled through the propellers.
Probable cause
The magnetos were left in the 'on' position when the pilot pulled through the propellers.