On July 18, 1999, an Ercoupe (eng & Research Corp.) 415-CD (registration N3859H) was involved in an aviation accident near Wahoo, NE. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper starting technique which resulted in the inadvertent starting of the engine, with no one in the airplane. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane that had been idle for two months started unintentionally when the pilot moved the propeller, then rolled down a taxiway and struck a hangar.
Incident Details
The airplane had been idle for approximately two months prior to the event. According to the pilot, when he attempted to start the engine, the battery had sufficient power to rotate the propeller through only one rotation. The pilot then exited the airplane to manually turn the propeller, aiming to position the engine at the top of its compression stroke.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that he turned off the master switch before moving the propeller, but he failed to turn off the ignition switch. After moving the propeller half a turn, the engine started. The airplane then traveled down a taxiway and contacted a hangar, becoming imbedded in the structure.