The private pilot tried to start his single-engine airplane but realized that the battery was dead and his attempt to charge the battery was unsuccessful. So, he prepared to hand-prop the engine by setting the hand break, priming the engine and turning the ignition on to both magnetos. The throttle was set to the idle position. The pilot moved the propeller and the engine started immediately; however, the hand break could not hold the thrust of the engine and it started to accelerate. The pilot was unable to catch the airplane as it crossed the taxiways and interposed grass before it finally stopped when it collided with terrain prior to the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the engine and engine mounts were displaced to the right, and the lower part of the nose landing gear was sheered away.