Incident Overview
The pilot reported that the aircraft was positioned on the taxiway in front of the hangar. He performed the normal pre-flight and engine start checklist. Prior to starting, the mixture was set to full rich, the fuel pump was activated for about three seconds (then turned off), the mixture was then set to full off, the throttle was opened fully, and the starter was engaged. The engine started and the mixture was pushed to full on.
Sequence of Events
During the startup, the engine immediately accelerated to full power. The aircraft pitched forward onto the taxiway, causing the propeller to strike the ground. The airplane’s firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot then secured the engine and exited the aircraft uninjured. The aircraft was subsequently placed back onto its tail wheel and secured inside the hangar.
Pilot's Assessment
The pilot stated that after reviewing the situation, it became apparent that the starting checklist was not followed accurately. Specifically, the throttle should have been set to approximately half an inch open for starting instead of full open, and the pilot’s hand should have been on the throttle immediately after pushing in the mixture control to retard the throttle after the engine started.