What happened
On Tuesday, June 26, 2001, at 09:30, a Jodel D 112 amateur-built aircraft, registered F-PINB, was involved in a ground accident at the Saint-Rémy-de-Maurienne airfield. The pilot had moved the aircraft from its hangar to prepare for a local flight. After completing a pre-flight inspection, the pilot applied the parking brake but failed to utilize wheel chocks.
While attempting to start the engine by manually turning the propeller, the engine ignited. As the pilot moved around the wing to enter the cockpit, the aircraft began to taxi forward unexpectedly. In an attempt to stop the movement, the pilot tried to hold the aircraft by the fixed part of the tail; however, the pilot slipped on the damp grass. The aircraft continued across the runway until it struck the airfield's perimeter fencing.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the uncontrolled movement of the aircraft. Investigators established that the pilot was the only person present at the aero club at the time of the incident. The weather conditions were reported as CAVOK with calm winds. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience, noting that while the pilot held a PPL(A) since 1993 with 413 total flight hours, this was only the second flight of the year involving a manual start procedure.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the engine start performed by hand-turning the propeller without the use of chocks.
- The aircraft sustained damage to the left wing leading edge, the right landing gear, and the propeller cone.
- There were no injuries resulting from the event.