Lancaster Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lancaster, Texas 75146
Sunday, May 8, 1994 12:25 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START THE AIRPLANE BY HAND PROPPING THE ENGINE WHILE HIS 14-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON OPERATED THE THROTTLE STANDING OUTSIDE THE RIGHT DOOR OF THE AIRPLANE. THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING AT ABOUT 1,400 RPM WHEN THE PILOT'S GRANDSON FELL DOWN. THE UNATTENDED AIRPLANE MOVED ACROSS THE TRANSIENT RAMP STRIKING THREE PARKED AIRPLANES. THE AIRPLANE WAS NEITHER TIED DOWN OR CHOCKED PRIOR TO THE ATTEMPTED START. THE PILOT MADE NO ATTEMPT TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM ANY OF THE MANY PILOTS THAT WERE PRESENT AT THE AIRPORT RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE TIE DOWNS AND PROPER ASSISTANCE DURING THE HAND PROPPING ENGINE START.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1225
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LANCASTER
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75146
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LANCASTER MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LNC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 500
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 152
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 8 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 4:00PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N111NZ
NTSB Number FTW94LA148
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 140
Aircraft Series Identifier 140
Aircraft Serial Number 12372
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 2300
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MORRIS, CAROL L.J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5936 STEVE COURT
Aircraft Owner City ROANOKE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76262
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 4TX2
Departure City ROANOKE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --