hang on and gain control but was
unable. The Piper tore into a parked
aircraft and came to a stop with its
nose against a fence. Fortunately,
the pilot was uninjured.
Among the precautions
recommended by
experts are to always
make certain that your
momentum carries
you clear of the arc of
the prop.
A number of precautions apply
to the process of hand-propping an
aircraft. First is to receive instruction
from a qualified and experienced
pilot or mechanic. The best procedure
includes a qualified individual at the
controls during the start. Among
the precautions recommended by
experts are to always make certain
that your momentum carries you
clear of the arc of the prop. Always
wear sturdy shoes, and only hand-prop when you have good footing.
Avoid neckties and other loose
clothing. Make certain the wheels
are chocked and the aircraft is tied
down if hand-propping solo. Some
pilots hand-prop with the fuel
turned off so that the engine will
shut down if they don’t make it into
the cockpit.
Locked and Unloaded
The pilot of a Polish-built PZL Mielec
M18A Dromader had safely started
his aircraft and was taxiing for
departure when he realized he had
overlooked an important detail—
unlocking the tail wheel. He set the
parking brake, installed the control
lock, and then exited the aircraft
with the engine still running so he
could unlock the tail manually. As
he exited the aircraft, he accidentally
bumped the throttle to a high power
setting, and the aircraft began rolling
