Accident Sequence
The pilot attempted to start the airplane's engine by hand-propping. After an initial unsuccessful attempt, he turned off the magneto switch and advanced the throttle to between half and three-quarters travel. He then rotated the propeller backwards five to six times to clear the cylinders. The pilot returned to the cockpit, turned the magneto switch back to the on position, but did not return the throttle to idle. He hand-propped the airplane a second time, and the engine started.
Because the throttle was not at idle, the engine's power caused the airplane to move forward over the wheel chocks. The moving airplane struck the pilot, who was standing in front of it. A passenger remained inside the airplane as it continued forward and collided with a hangar.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot sustained serious injuries. The passenger was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its firewall and fuselage as a result of the hangar collision.