N64SF

On October 6, 2003, at 1145 eastern daylight time, a Lake LA250, N64SF, was substantially damaged after colliding with three parked airplanes, while starting the engine at the Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI), Laconia, New Hampshire. The certificated airline transport pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the ferry flight, which was destined for the Norfolk International Airport (ORF), Norfolk, Virginia. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, prior to the flight he conducted a pre-flight inspection on the airplane, and spent about an hour with a mechanic on the airplane's procedures, which included starting the airplane. The airplane was started, ground run for several minutes, and shut down without incident.

As the pilot was starting the engine for the flight, it became flooded. The pilot then placed the throttle control lever in the "full forward" position, the propeller control lever to the "full forward" position, and the mixture control lever to the "idle cutoff" position. The engine started on the second attempt, and as the pilot pushed the mixture control lever to the "rich" position, the engine went immediately to full power. The pilot attempted to pull the throttle control lever back; however, he pulled the propeller control lever instead. The airplane began to roll forward, and pilot applied full braking. The pilot was unsuccessful in stopping the airplane, and it struck three parked airplanes before the engine stopped. When the pilot secured the airplane after the accident, he placed the mixture control lever to the "idle cutoff" position.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane after the accident. He observed the throttle control lever in the "full forward" position, the propeller control lever in the "full aft" position, and the mixture control lever in the "idle cutoff" position. No anomalies were noted with the throttle linkage or the braking system.

According to the airplane's flight manual, the flooded start procedure included, "Clear by operating starter for 5 seconds with mixture at idle cutoff, throttle open, then use normal starting procedure. The normal starting procedure required that the throttle be "OPEN 1/8 TRAVEL."

The pilot reported about 150 hours of experience in make and model airplane, none of which were in the preceding 90 days.