Piper PA-32-301 N8339P

Summary

On 27 February 2005 at about 16:51 local time, a Piper PA-32-301 registered N8339P, operated by Robert H. Christman, was involved in an accident near Williams, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 February 2005 at 16:51

Classification

Accident

Location

Williams, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

H. A. Clark Memorial Field (P32)

Coordinates

35.3022, -112.1939

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-301

Registration

N8339P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert H. Christman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Williams → Rialto

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX05CA104

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper ground handling procedure and failure to ensure the magnetos were off prior to movement of the propeller.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane collided on the ground with obstacles after the engine started following the pilot's movement of the propeller by hand. When the pilot initially attempted to start the engine the starter did not properly engage. The pilot exited the airplane and moved the propeller by hand. Two passengers remained in the airplane's rear seats. The transient parking area was equipped with tie down chains, but the pilot had not secured the airplane. The engine suddenly started when the pilot turned the propeller, the pilot fell down, and the airplane commenced moving with increasingly rapid speed at near full engine power. After the runaway airplane rolled about 300 feet and nearly collided with two commuter-type airplanes and dozens of passengers/bystanders, the airplane impacted the side of an unoccupied horse trailer.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.