On July 26, 1992, a Cessna 177 (registration N2279Y) operated by Donald P. Sateren was involved in an aviation accident near Turlock, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to hand-propel the aircraft without securing it with chocks or ties, which resulted in loss of control and collision with another aircraft. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot attempting to start an aircraft by hand-propelling it without chocks or ties lost control of the engine, causing the plane to roll into a parked aircraft.
What happened
The pilot prepared for a local area flight and loaded passengers into the aircraft. Upon attempting to start the engine, the pilot discovered that the battery lacked sufficient charge to energize the starter motor. Unable to use electrical means, the pilot decided to hand-propel the aircraft to initiate engine ignition.
At the time of this procedure, the aircraft was not secured with wheel chocks or tied down to the ground. When the engine successfully started during the hand-propping process, the pilot was unable to stop the aircraft's movement before it collided with an adjacent parked aircraft.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to hand-propel the aircraft without securing it with chocks or ties, which resulted in loss of control and collision with another aircraft.