Aeronca champ 7AC pilot reported aircraft departure without pilot aboard; resulting in damage to air...

Attributes
ACN	1740530
Time
Date	202004
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Champion Citabria 7ECA
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Sport / Recreational
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 36 Flight Crew Total 76 Flight Crew Type 74
Events
Anomaly	Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control

Narrative:

After my aircraft started up and flew itself off the ground; landed; and ground looped without me in the airplane. I inspected the airplane with several other experienced people. We determined that minimal damage occurred and the airplane was airworthy to fly it 10 miles to its home airport. I am a new pilot and first time owner of an aircraft. It is my determination that I made a bad judgment call and listened to others who may or may not have been qualified to give me information that led to me flying the aircraft home. After arriving at my home airport I had determined that extensive structural damage had occurred. I am lucky to have made it home safe and I am waiting for the insurance adjuster to come take a look at the aircraft. This was a learning lesson; and when in doubt don't rely on others who may or may not lack better judgment. This will never happen again!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Aeronca Champ 7AC pilot reported aircraft departure without pilot aboard; resulting in damage to aircraft. Damaged aircraft then flown to home airport.

Narrative: After my aircraft started up and flew itself off the ground; landed; and ground looped without me in the airplane. I inspected the airplane with several other experienced people. We determined that minimal damage occurred and the airplane was airworthy to fly it 10 miles to its home airport. I am a new pilot and first time owner of an aircraft. It is my determination that I made a bad judgment call and listened to others who may or may not have been qualified to give me information that led to me flying the aircraft home. After arriving at my home airport I had determined that extensive structural damage had occurred. I am lucky to have made it home safe and I am waiting for the insurance adjuster to come take a look at the aircraft. This was a learning lesson; and when in doubt don't rely on others who may or may not lack better judgment. This will never happen again!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Aeronca champ 7AC pilot reported aircraft departure without pilot aboard; resulting in damage to aircraft. Damaged aircraft then flown to home airport.