C140 jumps chocks after hand propeller start and strikes a vehicle.

Attributes
ACN	667377
Time
Date	200508
Place
Locale Reference	airport : elp.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 140
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground other : hand start
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14.5 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 482.8
ASRS Report	667377
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I intended to start the engine with the intent to warm the oil prior to an oil change. The battery was low; so I chocked both wheels and hand propped the engine. Upon firing; the engine was idling too fast; so I walked around the wing to the pilot's door to retard the throttle. I had my l-hand on the door and as I reached for the throttle; I fell and the door of the airplane separated from the airplane. The engine was making enough power that it jumped the right chock and began circling to the left. I attempted to re-enter the cockpit but was knocked down again by the wing lift strut. The airplane continued to circle to the left and struck my truck; which stopped the engine; also damaging the right wing and tail assembly. Reflecting upon this incident; it is clear that my plane was not adequately restrained. One clear solution would have been to utilize another person to be at the controls during hand propping. Another is that the right wheel was able to jump its chock; so higher chocks would have prevented the plane from moving.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C140 JUMPS CHOCKS AFTER HAND PROP START AND STRIKES A VEHICLE.

Narrative: I INTENDED TO START THE ENG WITH THE INTENT TO WARM THE OIL PRIOR TO AN OIL CHANGE. THE BATTERY WAS LOW; SO I CHOCKED BOTH WHEELS AND HAND PROPPED THE ENG. UPON FIRING; THE ENG WAS IDLING TOO FAST; SO I WALKED AROUND THE WING TO THE PLT'S DOOR TO RETARD THE THROTTLE. I HAD MY L-HAND ON THE DOOR AND AS I REACHED FOR THE THROTTLE; I FELL AND THE DOOR OF THE AIRPLANE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE ENG WAS MAKING ENOUGH PWR THAT IT JUMPED THE R CHOCK AND BEGAN CIRCLING TO THE L. I ATTEMPTED TO RE-ENTER THE COCKPIT BUT WAS KNOCKED DOWN AGAIN BY THE WING LIFT STRUT. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO CIRCLE TO THE L AND STRUCK MY TRUCK; WHICH STOPPED THE ENG; ALSO DAMAGING THE R WING AND TAIL ASSEMBLY. REFLECTING UPON THIS INCIDENT; IT IS CLR THAT MY PLANE WAS NOT ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED. ONE CLR SOLUTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO UTILIZE ANOTHER PERSON TO BE AT THE CTLS DURING HAND PROPPING. ANOTHER IS THAT THE R WHEEL WAS ABLE TO JUMP ITS CHOCK; SO HIGHER CHOCKS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PLANE FROM MOVING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.