Piper PA-28-181 N2245M

Summary

On 6 November 2004 at about 16:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N2245M, operated by Dennis K. Richardson, was involved in an accident near Morris, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 November 2004 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Morris, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

41.4256, -88.4186

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N2245M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Dennis K. Richardson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Morris → Morris

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI05CA022

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning in that he failed to assure that the airplane was properly secured prior to hand propping the engine. Factors associated with the accident were the broken tie down rope and the other airplanes which were contacted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane collided with three airplanes that were parked on the ramp. The pilot reported he inadvertently left the master switch on after landing. He reported the battery was dead when he went to start the airplane so he decided to hand prop the engine. The pilot stated he tied the tail down using a ramp tie town rope and set the throttle forward about one-quarter of an inch. He stated he started the airplane and was walking around the wing to enter the airplane when the tie down rope broke. The airplane started moving and as he tried to grab the door handle the horizontal stabilator struck him, knocking him to the ground. The airplane continued to the west where it contacted the left wing of a Diamond DA40. The airplane continued westbound across the ramp where its left wing contacted a light pole turning the airplane around 180 degrees. The airplane then traveled east, back across the ramp, where it contacted the tail of a Cessna 150E. The airplane came to rest after contacting the nose and left wing of a Grumman AA-1B. Post accident inspection of the accident site revealed the tail tie down rope broke with one end still attached to the tie down ring on the airplane, and the other end attached to the pavement tie down ring. The pilot stated he did not set the airplane's brakes nor did he place chocks under the wheels prior to hand propping the engine. The airport manager stated the airport does not supply tie down ropes.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.