Incident Overview
A pilot, faced with a dead battery, decided to start the airplane by hand-propping the propeller. After loading a passenger, the pilot set the throttle and engaged the parking brake. However, he did not tie down the airplane or place chocks in front of the wheels.
Sequence of Events
When the pilot pulled the propeller through, the engine started immediately, but the throttle had been set to a position that produced a higher RPM than anticipated. The increased engine power overwhelmed the parking brake, causing the airplane to roll forward with only the passenger aboard. The pilot attempted to re-enter the aircraft but was unsuccessful.
Passenger Actions
While inside the airplane, the passenger managed to steer it along the taxiway, but she did not know how to stop the vehicle. The airplane continued moving until it went through a fence and over an embankment.
Damage and Inspection
During the accident sequence, both the fuselage and the wings sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, there was no malfunction or anomaly related to the parking brake system or the throttle mechanism.