No fatalities

Pilot's Manual Propeller Rotation Leads to Uncontrolled Engine Start and Hangar Impact

Russellville, AR, United States

On January 26, 2010, a BEECH J35 operated by BGE ENTERPRISES LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Russellville, AR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper engine starting procedures. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot attempting to hand-start a single-engine airplane inadvertently started the engine, causing the unoccupied aircraft to accelerate and strike an open T-hangar, resulting in damage to the airplane, hangar, and a parked aircraft.

Accident Details

A pilot attempted to start a single-engine airplane using the electric starter, but the engine did not start. The pilot then decided to rotate the propeller by hand in an effort to "loosen up" the engine enough for a successful start. While manually rotating the propeller, the engine inadvertently started. The aircraft, which was unoccupied at the time, accelerated forward under its own power.

Circumstances

The airplane traveled across the ground until it collided with an open T-hangar. The impact caused substantial damage to the accident airplane. Additionally, the T-hangar sustained damage, and a parked airplane inside the hangar received minor damage.

Aftermath

The pilot later noted that prior to hand-rotating the propeller, the master switch and magnetos had not been turned off, and the parking brake had not been set. No other factors or causes were provided in the source material.

Contributing factors

Unintentional use/operationPilot