Rough River State Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Falls Of Rough, Kentucky 40119
Thursday, March 3, 1994 13:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS HAND PROPPING THE ENGINE WHEN IT STARTED AND THE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT TAXIED UNDER ITS OWN POWER AND STRUCK A BUILDING. THE PILOT'S FOUR-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST TIME ATTEMPTING TO HANDPROP AN ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE TIED DOWN THE TAIL AND SET THE BRAKES BEFOREHAND. HE TRIED ABOUT 20 TIMES BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTED. AFTER THE ENGINE STARTED HE JUMPED ON THE RIGHT WING AND DRAGGED HIS FEET TO SLOW DOWN THE AIRPLANE. THIS SLOWED AND TURNED THE AIRPLANE TOWARD THE BUILDING. THE PILOT STATED THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HE HAD PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS IN HAND PROPPING, AND IF A QUALIFIED PILOT IN TYPE AIRCRAFT WAS AT THE CONTROLS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE TIEDOWN AND STARTING PROCEDURE WHICH RESULTED IN A RUNAWAY AIRCRAFT, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A BUILDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/3/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FALLS OF ROUGH
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40119
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROUGH RIVER STATE PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 213
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 577
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 377
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 3 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4487J
NTSB Number NYC94LA051
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-22905
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 25 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 5546
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS L MOORE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3903 CARRIAGE HILL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CRESTWOOD
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40014
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THOMAS L MOORE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3093 CARRIAGE HILL ROAD
Operator City CRESTWOOD
Operator State KY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 40014
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 31 2000 5:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --