Manchester Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Manchester, New Hampshire 03244
Monday, April 3, 1989 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE DECATHLON STATED THAT SHE HAD WARMED UP THE ENGINE AND WAS ATTACHING THE OVER-THE-SHOULDER STRAP FROM THE REAR ATTACHING POINT. AS SHE PULLED THE STRAP TO FASTEN IT, USING AN UNDERHAND MOTION, THE AIRCRAFT 'LURCHED FORWARD AT FULL THROTTLE'. THE TAIL WHEEL WAS COCKED OFF TO THE RIGHT, SO THE AIRCRAFT WENT TO THE RIGHT AT FULL THROTTLE AND CAUGHT THE REAR OF A PIPER PA-32R'S LEFT WING. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE SHOULDER STRAP HAD CAUGHT ON THE REAR POWER QUADRANT AND ADVANCED IT TO FULL THROTTLE WHEN SHE PULLED ON IT TO FASTEN IT. THE DAY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT A STATE AERONAUTICS COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE ATTEMPTED TO DUPLICATE THE ACCIDENT AS DESCRIBED BY THE PILOT AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH A PARKED AIRCRAFT DUE TO THE INADVERTENT APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE THAT TOOK PLACE AS THE PILOT WAS FASTENING THE OVER THE SHOULDER SAFETY HARNESS WHILE WARMING THE ENGINE IN PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MANCHESTER
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03244
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MANCHESTER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
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 --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 327
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 5 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1420
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38869
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2520Z
NTSB Number NYC89LA112
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CHAMPION
Aircraft Model 8KCAB
Aircraft Series Identifier 8KCAB
Aircraft Serial Number 336-77
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1571
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNETH R GRANT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19 CROWN HILL
Aircraft Owner City ATKINSON
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CAROL GRANT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 19 CROWN HILL
Operator City ATKINSON
Operator State NH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 03811
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --