Home |
| |
Why Join USPPA?
Support Education,
Monthly Magazine,
Give the sport a voice,
Member Services Web,
Discounts on Materials,
Certification Program.
Price & Benefits
Click here to Join!
Please send questions
or comments to: theUSPPA@gmail.com
Had an incident?
Please share it with the
community—we all learn from
these and improve with time.
Submit only what information you
feel appropriate, but do submit! |
| |
 |
|
 |
Incident Details
General Information
Title: Starting the engine can be unsafe
Date: 06/10/2010
Time: 1500
Location: Northeast USA
Pilot Information
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Pilot weight (without motor): 210 US Pounds
Rating:
None
Experience:
Not Applicable
Incident Detail Information
Type of Incident:
Powerplant/Equipment Malfunction
Primary Cause:
Other
Contributing Distractions:
None
Windspeed:
Not Applicable
Wind Type:
Not Applicable
Thermal Conditions:
Not Applicable
Visibility:
Surface:
Not Applicable
Terrain:
Not Applicable
Site Elevation: (feet above sea level)
Phase of Flight:
Not Applicable
Purpose of Flight:
Not Applicable
Safety Gear Used:
None
Helmet Full
Helmet Other
Protective Boots
Knee-pads
Elbow-pads
Wrist Guards
Reserve
Knife
Gloves
Strobe
Unknown
Communications:
Not Applicable
Damage to Pilot's Equipment:
Not Applicable
Wing:
Motor:
Injury Information
Pilot/Passenger Injury Severity:
None
Hosipitalization:
Not Applicable
Injuries:
None
Head
Face
Neck
Chest
Back
Abdomen
Shoulder
Arm
Elbow
Forearm
Wrist
Hand
Pelvis
Thigh
Calf
Ankle
Foot
Knee
Unknown
Collateral Damage:
None
By-Stander
Other Pilot
Animal
Property
Unknown
Narrative: To start off - I did not get hurt. I purchased an PPG engine from Ebay and due to information I received with it I thought I could start it and fly on my own. Boy was I wrong! I filled the gas tank and placed the engine on the bed of my truck so I could get a good pull on it. With my son watching me pull the recoil a few times and having no luck I decided to use starting fluid. I pulled the recoil starter again and it roared to life! I held on for dear life and even though I didn't want to I mashed the throttle even more as I held on. The engine was winning and pushed me back up against the house and I was transfixed watching this thing hang there 3 feet up off the ground and pushing me harder. Just as my arms started to bend and I thought I was going to be sliced up like the deli machine does the starting fluid burned off and the engine lost just enough power so I could release the throttle lever and kill it. Yes I had to clean my shorts after the incident. I admit it.
Several things I did wrong:
Do a throttle check
Do not use starting fluid
Start the engine on your back
Get good instruction (I have started the class already - do not worry!)
Photo:
|
