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CEN12CA173

2012-02-25 · Hebron, Nebraska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport HJH

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s did not properly secure the airplane prior to rotating the propeller by hand, resulting in inadvertent movement of the airplane and collision with a building.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he could not start the airplane's engine using the electric starter. He elected to hand start the airplane. He stated that when the engine started, the airplane's parking brake did not hold and the airplane began to roll. He was unable to open the door to reduce the throttle setting. The airplane subsequently struck a building. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, the fuselage structure near the firewall, and the engine mount structure. The pilot reported that he could not start the airplane's engine using the electric starter, so he elected to turn the propeller by hand to start the engine (hand-propping). He stated that when the engine started, the airplane's parking brake did not hold and that the airplane began to roll. He was unable to open the door to reduce the throttle setting, and the airplane subsequently struck a building. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, the fuselage structure near the firewall, and the engine mount structure. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft handling/service-Parking/securing-Tie-down/mooring-Incorrect use/operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_CEN12CA173.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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