<< >> NASA ASRS Report 914809, October 2010

A C172 pilot could not start his aircraft which had been sitting cold for several days so he asked another pilot for help. As the prop was pull through the engine started because the ignition and fuel were left on.

Attributes
ACN	914809
Time
Date	201010
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Parked
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100 Flight Crew Total 7600 Flight Crew Type 800
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 1.3 Flight Crew Total 250 Flight Crew Type 100
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Ground Event / Encounter Aircraft Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control

Narrative:

A pilot in our flying club couldn't get his airplane started and came over to me and ask if I could help him. I told him that the airplane has been sitting for about 10 days and and it has been cold at night lately so he probably needs to do the cold weather starting procedures. We walked over to his plane and I told him I will turn the prop through twice to get the oil moving and then see if he could start. As I turned the prop through the second time with the pilot standing next to me watching; the plane started up. There was no one inside of the plane. We jumped out of the way and the plane moved forward and the prop struck the wing of another aircraft. I looked inside of the plane after it had stopped and found the key in the ignition and turned to both. Also the mixture was in and the throttle was in. I turned to him and asked him why did he get out of the plane without securing it and he had no reason.

Related reports:

• A PIC report of hail damage to his B727 while it was sitting...
• A C195 pilot, sitting in the left seat with the owner in the...
• While deadheading in the cabin and sitting in the last row o...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 pilot could not start his aircraft which had been sitting cold for several days so he asked another pilot for help. As the prop was pull through the engine started because the ignition and fuel were left on.

Narrative: A pilot in our flying club couldn't get his airplane started and came over to me and ask if I could help him. I told him that the airplane has been sitting for about 10 days and and it has been cold at night lately so he probably needs to do the cold weather starting procedures. We walked over to his plane and I told him I will turn the prop through twice to get the oil moving and then see if he could start. As I turned the prop through the second time with the pilot standing next to me watching; the plane started up. There was no one inside of the plane. We jumped out of the way and the plane moved forward and the prop struck the wing of another aircraft. I looked inside of the plane after it had stopped and found the key in the ignition and turned to both. Also the mixture was in and the throttle was in. I turned to him and asked him why did he get out of the plane without securing it and he had no reason.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.