Incident Overview
An airplane became a runaway vehicle on the ground after its engine unexpectedly started while the pilot was manually turning the propeller. The aircraft rolled approximately 300 feet, nearly colliding with two commuter-type airplanes and numerous passengers and bystanders, before striking the side of an unoccupied horse trailer.
Sequence of Events
According to the investigation, the pilot initially attempted to start the engine using the starter, but the starter did not properly engage. The pilot then exited the airplane and moved the propeller by hand. Two passengers remained seated in the rear seats of the airplane. The transient parking area was equipped with tie-down chains, but the pilot had not secured the airplane with them.
When the pilot turned the propeller, the engine suddenly started. The pilot fell down, and the airplane began moving with increasingly rapid speed at near full engine power. The runaway airplane traveled about 300 feet, narrowly avoiding two commuter-type airplanes and dozens of passengers/bystanders, before impacting the side of an unoccupied horse trailer.
Investigation Findings
Investigation revealed that the airplane was not secured with tie-down chains before the hand-propping attempt. The engine started suddenly upon manual rotation of the propeller, leading to the uncontrolled movement. The pilot fell during the event, but the source does not specify injuries to the pilot or the two passengers. The final impact was with a horse trailer that was unoccupied.
Aftermath
The accident resulted in damage to the airplane and the horse trailer. No further details were provided regarding the extent of damage or any injuries sustained by those involved.