Accident Details
According to the pilot's accident report, the incident began when he attempted to start the engine. The starter motor turned, but the starter did not engage. The pilot made several additional attempts with the same result. He then turned off the battery master switch, exited the aircraft, and walked around to the front. Reaching through the door, he believed the ignition key was off. He pushed the propeller down through one compression stroke, and the engine immediately started.
As the engine started, the pilot jumped onto the left wing but fell off. The airplane then traveled across the ramp and struck a ditch located between runways 28R and 28L. The impact broke off the nose gear and buckled the firewall.
Examination
The Federal Aviation Administration conducted an examination of the airplane and its systems. No anomalies were found.