What happened
On September 14, 2014, a private pilot prepared a Piper PA-28-180, registration HB-OVT, for a local flight at Lausanne–La Blécherette Airport (LSGL). After completing standard pre-flight checks, the pilot moved the aircraft out of the hangar to begin the engine start sequence.
During the initial attempt to engage the starter, the propeller failed to rotate. The pilot exited the cockpit to manually turn the propeller and then returned to the aircraft to try the starter again, but the engine remained unresponsive. After a second attempt at manually turning the propeller, the engine successfully ignited. Following this unexpected start, the aircraft began moving forward unexpectedly. Despite the pilot's efforts to stop the movement, the PA-28-180 collided with the hangar door. The pilot was uninjured during the incident.
The investigation
Investigators examined the state of the aircraft and the cockpit configuration following the collision. The inspection revealed that the propeller tips and the right wing tip sustained damage, and the hangar door was also damaged by the impact. The investigation focused on the mechanical and procedural conditions present at the moment the engine ignited.
Findings
Several contributing factors led to the unintended movement of the aircraft. The investigation established that the pilot had deactivated the master electrical switch but had failed to move the magneto selector switch to the off position. Additionally, the parking brake was not engaged. The combination of the engine ignition remaining active via the magnetos and the lack of braking allowed the aircraft to accelerate into the hangar structure once the engine started.