NTSB Factual Report

On February 24, 2006, at 1030 central standard time, a single-engine Champion 7ECA tailwheel equipped airplane, N9007L, was substantially damaged following a loss of control while the pilot was attempting to prop-start the engine at the Forrest City Municipal Airport, near Forrest City, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was fatally injured when he was struck by the propeller. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial observation flight. The local flight was originating from the Forrest City Municipal Airport (FCY), near Forrest City , Arkansas.

According to personnel at the airport, the airplane's battery was low and the pilot attempted to start the engine by hand-propping. The engine started at a high power setting. The propeller struck the pilot's head and the airplane began to taxi in a right circle while unattended. The right wing tip collided with a hangar door and continued in a larger right circle, subsequently colliding with a parked Air tractor, N6072Y, which resulted in structural damage to the parked airplane, as well as to the unattended aircraft.

The flight had been scheduled to confirm the water content on selected agricultural fields prior to dispatching agricultural aircraft for aerial application operations. The airplane was not tied- down and no one was onboard the airplane when the hand-propping was attempted.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector at the scene of the accident confirmed structural damage to both aircraft. Both propeller blades on N9007L were found bent forward and had sections of aluminum missing along the leading edges. The left wing leading edge was significantly bent back and wrinkled when it impacted the parked Air tractor. The cabin area of the parked airplane sustained structural damage and the windscreen was broken-out.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to follow proper procedures while attempting to start the engine by hand-proping the engine.