Biplane has propeller strike during start up.

Attributes
ACN	257497
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pcm
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	257497
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

When starting my biplane, the aircraft engine accelerated to approximately 2300 RPM as the engine caught. The nose of the aircraft dropped as the propeller wash and torque lifted the tail. Power was retarded, but the nose continued down until the propeller hit the ramp. The engine stopped and the aircraft returned to 3 point attitude. The cause was slow reduction of power and not having the stick held full aft. Contributing factors: cockpit design. Start button right side, throttle quadrant left side. Unable to hold stick aft while starting. Must be pulled aft after engine fires. Human performance: slow to recognize and correct situation due to lack of knowledge that propeller wash and torque could lift tail.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BIPLANE HAS PROP STRIKE DURING START UP.

Narrative: WHEN STARTING MY BIPLANE, THE ACFT ENG ACCELERATED TO APPROX 2300 RPM AS THE ENG CAUGHT. THE NOSE OF THE ACFT DROPPED AS THE PROP WASH AND TORQUE LIFTED THE TAIL. PWR WAS RETARDED, BUT THE NOSE CONTINUED DOWN UNTIL THE PROP HIT THE RAMP. THE ENG STOPPED AND THE ACFT RETURNED TO 3 POINT ATTITUDE. THE CAUSE WAS SLOW REDUCTION OF PWR AND NOT HAVING THE STICK HELD FULL AFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: COCKPIT DESIGN. START BUTTON R SIDE, THROTTLE QUADRANT L SIDE. UNABLE TO HOLD STICK AFT WHILE STARTING. MUST BE PULLED AFT AFTER ENG FIRES. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: SLOW TO RECOGNIZE AND CORRECT SIT DUE TO LACK OF KNOWLEDGE THAT PROP WASH AND TORQUE COULD LIFT TAIL.

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.