Overview
On July 14, 2019, about 1100 central daylight time, a Cessna 177 airplane, registration N29516, sustained substantial damage during a ground accident near Elkhart, Indiana. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Events
According to the pilot, he first helped two passengers into the airplane—a child in the rear right seat and an adult in the front right seat—and ensured they fastened their seatbelts. He then performed a preflight inspection while the passengers remained onboard. Standing in front of the airplane’s nose, the pilot checked the tension on the propeller belt. To lower the propeller blade, he “smacked it down” in a clockwise direction. This action caused the engine to start, and the airplane began moving forward under its own power. The pilot jumped out of the way.
The airplane proceeded toward the grass between the ramp and the taxiway, then continued over the taxiway and the grass between the taxiway and the runway. It then traveled up over the runway and became airborne briefly before coming back down on the other side of the runway. The airplane came to a stop in an adjacent wheat field. The forward fuselage structure received substantial damage.
The adult passenger reported that the pilot was standing in front of the airplane and spun the propeller “a little.” “All of a sudden, the airplane came roaring to life,” she stated. The pilot jumped and tried to run around to enter the airplane but was unable. She attempted to reach the brake pedals with her feet to stop the airplane but could not reach them.
Pilot and FAA Inspector Observations
The pilot noted that the ignition key was in the ignition but was not turned to “START.” He could not recall the positions of the mixture and throttle controls during his preflight walkaround. An FAA inspector who examined the airplane on scene found the mixture and throttle in the full forward position. The ignition key had been removed from the ignition after the accident and was found on the right seat; therefore, the position of the ignition switch at the time of the accident could not be verified. The inspector did not remove the engine cowling or examine any components within the engine compartment.