Snohomish County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Everett, Washington 98204
Wednesday, June 3, 1998 17:32 PDT

The pilot taxied the twin engine PA-30 (90 gallon fuel capacity) to a self service fueling island. There, he fueled the aircraft with 58.15 gallons of fuel at 1503. The aircraft was taxied back to the pilot's hangar area. Sometime thereafter, the pilot had used a jumper cable to connect the battery of his car to the aircraft's electrical system at the power receptacle located on the left side of the nose. Approximately 1732, with both engines running, the pilot exited the aircraft to remove the chock from the nose-wheel during which the aircraft rolled forward (east) and eventually impacted a parked Cessna primarily along its leading edge of the right wing. The PA-30's right engine stopped upon wing contact, and the momentum carried both aircraft in a clockwise arc a short distance southeast. The PA-30's left engine continued running after the collision. At a point consistent with the PA-30's initial contact with the Cessna, a pool of blood identified the spot were the pilot was first struck by the PA-30's left propeller. He drug himself under the PA-30 and into a 4:30 position stopping at a point close to the nose-wheel chock which was entangled in the jumper cables. A witness who spoke with the pilot reported that he remarked that 'I knew better, (unknown) was not removed, and the wind caught me.' The pilot was airlifted to a major hospital and expired approximately 10 hours later.

The pilot-in-command's exiting the aircraft with both engines running to remove a wheel chock. A factor was the inadequate preflight of the aircraft (not removing the chock) prior to engine start.