Forks Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Forks, Washington 98331
Saturday, February 4, 2012 13:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot planned on starting his airplane by turning the propeller by hand, because the airplaneā€™s battery was dead. After loading his passenger, he set the throttle and the parking brake, but he elected not to tie down the airplane or place chocks in front of its wheels. When he pulled the propeller through, the engine started immediately as he intended. However, he had placed the throttle in a position that resulted in a higher rpm than he expected. Due to the high rpm, the parking brake was unable to hold the airplane in position, and it started rolling forward with only the passenger inside. The pilot attempted to reenter the airplane, but he was unable to do so. Although the passenger was able to steer the airplane along the taxiway, she did not know how to stop it, and it eventually went through a fence and over an embankment. During the accident sequence, the fuselage and the wings were substantially damaged. According to the pilot, there were no malfunctions or anomalies with the parking brake system or the throttle mechanism.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's incorrect placement of the throttle prior to starting the airplane by hand. Contributing to the accident was that the pilot did not ensure that the airplane was restrained in a manner that would keep it from moving forward.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/4/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Forks
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98331
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 475616N
Event Location Longitude 1242334W
Event Location Airport Forks Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S18
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29667
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 23 2012 6:39PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5687F
NTSB Number WPR12CA095
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 ALON
Aircraft Model A2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number A-187
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBINSON DAVID E
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City FORKS
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98331-0761
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name ROBINSON DAVID E
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City FORKS
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 98331-0761
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 S18
Departure City Forks
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KFHR
Destination City Friday Harbor
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 9 2012 2:16PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --