Summary
On April 21, 1997, a Cessna 421C (N283PT) was involved in an incident near Pierre, SD. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's inadvertent activation of the number one throttle/power control. Factors were: the pilot left the cockpit unattended with the engines running and a wet ramp.
On April 21, 1997, at 1200 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 421C, N283PT, registered to Prostrollo Leasing Company, of Madison, South Dakota, received substantially damaged after impacting a chain link fence and a parked vehicle at Pierre Municipal Airport, Pierre, South Dakota. The pilot's left foot struck and advanced the number one engine throttle of the running engines, while the pilot went aft to close the cabin door after discharging a passenger. The airline transport pilot reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. An IFR flight plan was on file.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CHI97LA109. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N283PT.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the pilot's inadvertent activation of the number one throttle/power control. Factors were: the pilot left the cockpit unattended with the engines running and a wet ramp.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
On April 21, 1997, at 1200 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 421C, N283PT, registered to Prostrollo Leasing Company, of Madison, South Dakota, received substantially damaged after impacting a chain link fence and a parked vehicle at Pierre Municipal Airport, Pierre, South Dakota. The pilot's left foot struck and advanced the number one engine throttle of the running engines, while the pilot went aft to close the cabin door after discharging a passenger. The airline transport pilot reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. An IFR flight plan was on file. The flight departed Madison, South Dakota, at 1055 cdt.
According to the pilot's written statement, he was discharging a passenger with the engines running on the wet ramp area at Pierre Municipal Airport. The pilot set the brakes and then needed to go aft and shut the cabin door. The pilot said "In turning to egress the cockpit, I believe my left foot hit the left throttle #1 eng [engine] went to takeoff power. I was thrown between the two forward passenger seats on my back stunned the aircraft lunged forward struck a fence turning to the right, the right eng [engine] struck a vehicle parked on the ramp side of the fence."
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI97LA109