Narrative:

Aircraft equipped with bendix ignition switch. Aircraft in compliance with airworthiness directive 76-07-12 R1. Attempted to start aircraft twice in below freezing conditions. The starter was turning, but did not have enough friction against the frozen belt to move (or turn) the propeller (or engine). The battery, alternator, and ignition switches were switched to the 'off' position and verified before exiting the aircraft. The propeller was turned twice by hand to loosen up the frozen starter belt. On the second turn, the aircraft engine started while the ignition was off and later reconfirmed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this airplane has an airworthiness directive that requires checking the ignition switch for correct operation at every engine run. The reporter said the last time the airplane was operated, the switch performed its normal function and shut down the engine. The reporter stated that while attempting twice to start the engine using the starter, it would not crank the engine due to extreme cold. The reporter said the battery, ignition switch and alternator were all verified in the 'off' position and the propeller was turned twice by hand to free up the frozen starter belt. The reporter said on the second turn of the propeller the engines started and the airplane rolled forward 50 ft and struck a hangar. The aircraft incurred wing leading edge, cowling, and propeller damage. The reporter stated on investigation the ignition switch was verified in the 'off' position. The reporter said the FAA has ruled this event as an incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BEECH BE19 ENG WOULD NOT START IN EXTREME COLD USING THE STARTER. WITH IGNITION SWITCH OFF, PROP WAS TURNED BY HAND AND ENG STARTED. AIRPLANE ROLLED FORWARD STRIKING A HANGAR INCURRING DAMAGE.

Narrative: ACFT EQUIPPED WITH BENDIX IGNITION SWITCH. ACFT IN COMPLIANCE WITH AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 76-07-12 R1. ATTEMPTED TO START ACFT TWICE IN BELOW FREEZING CONDITIONS. THE STARTER WAS TURNING, BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FRICTION AGAINST THE FROZEN BELT TO MOVE (OR TURN) THE PROP (OR ENG). THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, AND IGNITION SWITCHES WERE SWITCHED TO THE 'OFF' POS AND VERIFIED BEFORE EXITING THE ACFT. THE PROP WAS TURNED TWICE BY HAND TO LOOSEN UP THE FROZEN STARTER BELT. ON THE SECOND TURN, THE ACFT ENG STARTED WHILE THE IGNITION WAS OFF AND LATER RECONFIRMED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS AIRPLANE HAS AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE THAT REQUIRES CHKING THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR CORRECT OP AT EVERY ENG RUN. THE RPTR SAID THE LAST TIME THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED, THE SWITCH PERFORMED ITS NORMAL FUNCTION AND SHUT DOWN THE ENG. THE RPTR STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TWICE TO START THE ENG USING THE STARTER, IT WOULD NOT CRANK THE ENG DUE TO EXTREME COLD. THE RPTR SAID THE BATTERY, IGNITION SWITCH AND ALTERNATOR WERE ALL VERIFIED IN THE 'OFF' POS AND THE PROP WAS TURNED TWICE BY HAND TO FREE UP THE FROZEN STARTER BELT. THE RPTR SAID ON THE SECOND TURN OF THE PROP THE ENGS STARTED AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED FORWARD 50 FT AND STRUCK A HANGAR. THE ACFT INCURRED WING LEADING EDGE, COWLING, AND PROP DAMAGE. THE RPTR STATED ON INVESTIGATION THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS VERIFIED IN THE 'OFF' POS. THE RPTR SAID THE FAA HAS RULED THIS EVENT AS AN INCIDENT.

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.