What happened
On August 13, 2005, at Cuatro Vientos Airport in Madrid, a Cessna FR172G, registration D-ECHM, was involved in a ground collision while the pilot attempted to start the engine manually. The pilot, intending to fly to Málaga, discovered the aircraft's battery was depleted because the master switch had been left on. Unable to secure external power, the pilot attempted a manual start.
After approximately 30 minutes of unsuccessful attempts, the pilot increased the throttle setting. Upon the engine successfully firing, the aircraft began to move forward. The pilot was unable to open the door in time to intervene, and the moving aircraft struck a parked Cessna 172N, registration EC-HAT, located ahead and to the left. The collision caused significant damage to both aircraft, including damage to the propeller, wings, and vertical stabilizer of the parked plane, and damage to the propeller and windshield of the moving aircraft. The pilot of the D-ECHM escaped without injury, though the incident resulted in 1 death (noted in the summary data, though the narrative focuses on the collision impact).
The investigation
The CIAIAC examined the circumstances surrounding the manual start procedure and the aircraft's movement. The investigation established that the pilot performed the start alone, without a second person to apply the brakes or assist with the propeller. Furthermore, the investigation found that the aircraft was not secured with chocks, and the pilot had advanced the throttle beyond the recommended setting during the prolonged attempt. The investigation also reviewed the lack of specific manual start instructions in the available flight manuals, noting that while such procedures are dangerous and should be avoided, they are not explicitly prohibited in the manuals consulted.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the performance of a manual engine start without following essential safety precautions.
- The pilot attempted the procedure alone, meaning no one was available to apply the brakes in the cockpit.
- The aircraft was not secured with chocks to prevent movement.
- The pilot increased the throttle setting beyond standard recommendations due to the difficulty of the start.
- Physical fatigue from the 30-minute attempt may have contributed to the pilot's inability to react to the aircraft's movement.