What happened
On 17 December 2011, a Vans RV-6, registration G-RVAW, was parked on the grass area at Wickenby Aerodrome in Lincolnshire. Following two previous flights that day, the pilot attempted to start the engine for a third departure. Due to the low ambient temperature, the engine failed to turn over.
Believing the engine had simply reached top dead centre, the pilot switched off the aircraft's electrics and exited the cockpit to rotate the propeller by hand. However, the magneto switches had been left in the 'on' position. As the propeller was moved, the engine ignited, causing the aircraft to move forward unexpectedly. The pilot attempted to clear the path, but the left wing struck him, forcing the aircraft to veer left. This movement resulted in a collision with a stationary Vans RV-7 that was preparing to taxi.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation established that the pilot had left the magneto switches engaged while outside the cockpit. The investigation also noted that the accident was not reported immediately due to a misunderstanding regarding the reporting requirements for ground-based collisions. The pilot's experience on this specific type was 55 hours, and the investigation considered several environmental and psychological factors contributing to the error.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was that the magneto switches were left in the 'on' position while the pilot was manually turning the propeller.
- The pilot's error was influenced by the cold weather conditions and the pressure to depart alongside a group of friends.
- The aircraft sustained damage to the engine cowl, propeller, and right wing.
- There were no injuries to the pilot or the occupant of the second aircraft.