Incident Overview
A pilot who had recently purchased a high-performance, complex airplane arranged for another pilot to accompany him during familiarization flights. He contacted a flight instructor, who had been referred by another individual, to serve as a safety pilot rather than a flight instructor, due to the owner's significant flight experience.
Preflight and Seating
The airplane was parked between two rows of aircraft separated by a strip of pavement about 60 feet wide. The flight controls were of a "throwover" design with a single yoke that could be shifted to either cockpit position. The right seat did not have brake pedals. The owner occupied the left seat, and the safety pilot sat in the right seat. The owner's preflight and engine-start procedures appeared normal and uneventful.
Engine Start and Acceleration
According to the safety pilot, upon starting, the engine "started very aggressively," reaching a high rpm, and the airplane immediately began moving rapidly forward from its parking spot. Realizing the airplane was accelerating toward the adjacent row of aircraft, the safety pilot moved his left foot over and attempted to apply the brakes, partly by stepping on the owner's right foot. After the airplane had traveled about 10 to 15 feet, the safety pilot also fully retarded the mixture control to shut down the engine.
Collision and Damage
The airplane continued across the ramp and struck a parked, unoccupied airplane. The parked airplane sustained substantial damage to its fuselage and wing structure. The left wing of the accident airplane was substantially damaged.
Post-Accident Information
The safety pilot recalled that, before and during the engine start, the throttle control appeared to be in a sufficiently retarded position for starting. However, the owner reported that he had positioned the throttle control inappropriately for engine start. A postaccident examination of the throttle control system found no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.