Packer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Radnor, Ohio 43066
Saturday, October 15, 2011 9:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was unable to start the engine using the cockpit's engine controls and he suspected that the starter drive gear was not engaging the propeller ring gear. He exited the airplane to rotate the propeller by hand in order to manually engage the starter's drive gear. As he rotated the propeller, the engine started and the unoccupied airplane proceeded across the airport, colliding with a hangar. The pilot reported that after the accident he found the airplane's ignition key was selected to one magneto instead of being in the full-off position. He also stated that he had left the mixture and throttle levers in the full-forward position and that he had not used the parking brake. The airplane's wings, vertical stabilizer, rudder, and fuselage were substantially damaged.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to properly secure the engine controls prior to manually rotating the propeller, which led to an inadvertent engine start and runaway airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 905
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Radnor
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43066
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 402429N
Event Location Longitude 0831310W
Event Location Airport Packer Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5E9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 918
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 913 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID KDLZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 945
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.76
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KDLZ 151253Z AUTO 26011G16KT 10SM OVC025 08/03 A29
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29160
NTSB Notification Source FAA - Columbus FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2011 11:49AM
User who most recently changed record andj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8746W
NTSB Number CEN12CA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-10286
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Dec 14 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4064
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name Duewest Aviation LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11350 Overbrook Lane
Aircraft Owner City Galena
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43021-9664
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Duewest Aviation LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 11350 Overbrook Lane
Operator City Galena
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 43021-9664
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 5E9
Departure City Radnor
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 905
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KDLZ
Destination City Delaware
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 27 2011 5:37PM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --