Atx pilot gets a hand start due to inoperative starter, then later worries if his flight was legal.

Attributes
ACN	155560
Time
Date	199008
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1550 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	155560
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	other personnel other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

A whirring sound came from engine compartment upon attempting to start engine in preparation for departure on late afternoon flight. Propeller did not turn. I switched the key off and waited a few seconds and tried again. Same noise, no start. I went to phone the company duty officer. He asked for a description of what it was doing. I told him what I had observed and he said the starter was bad (or at least he suspected it was) and he had a spare so he wanted the aircraft back to base for repairs. He said to call a mechanic to hand-propeller the engine. I did. It started and I flew it back to base. After arriving home I realized I might have broken regulations--inoperative component. That did not occur to me earlier because I was pressured to get it running and return.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX PLT GETS A HAND START DUE TO INOPERATIVE STARTER, THEN LATER WORRIES IF HIS FLT WAS LEGAL.

Narrative: A WHIRRING SOUND CAME FROM ENG COMPARTMENT UPON ATTEMPTING TO START ENG IN PREPARATION FOR DEP ON LATE AFTERNOON FLT. PROP DID NOT TURN. I SWITCHED THE KEY OFF AND WAITED A FEW SECS AND TRIED AGAIN. SAME NOISE, NO START. I WENT TO PHONE THE COMPANY DUTY OFFICER. HE ASKED FOR A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT IT WAS DOING. I TOLD HIM WHAT I HAD OBSERVED AND HE SAID THE STARTER WAS BAD (OR AT LEAST HE SUSPECTED IT WAS) AND HE HAD A SPARE SO HE WANTED THE ACFT BACK TO BASE FOR REPAIRS. HE SAID TO CALL A MECH TO HAND-PROP THE ENG. I DID. IT STARTED AND I FLEW IT BACK TO BASE. AFTER ARRIVING HOME I REALIZED I MIGHT HAVE BROKEN REGS--INOP COMPONENT. THAT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME EARLIER BECAUSE I WAS PRESSURED TO GET IT RUNNING AND RETURN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.