N7736T – Vans RV8 – 2020-02-15 NTSB Accident Report

On February 15, 2020, a Vans RV8 (N7736T) was involved in an incident near Columbus, MS. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The inadvertent engine start of the unoccupied airplane, which resulted in it moving forward and impacting a hangar and an electrical box.

The pilot reported that he planned a flight in a single-engine airplane. He conducted the pre-flight and then during the start sequence, the engine's starter would not engage. He turned off the switches, set the parking brake, and exited the cockpit. He rotated the engine by turning the propeller slowly by hand, so the starter would engage. The engine started unexpectedly, and the airplane moved forward.

The airplane collided with a hangar and an electrical transformer box, and a post-impact fire ensued. The airplane was consumed by the fire, which prevented any examination of the cockpit, brakes, or electrical system.

The accident is consistent with an inadvertent engine start when the pilot rotated the propeller.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN20CA087. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7736T.