Accident Beechcraft 95-B55 Baron N2074L, Sunday 6 February 2011

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Date:	Sunday 6 February 2011
Time:	10:00 LT
Type:	Beechcraft 95-B55 Baron
Owner/operator:
Registration:	N2074L
MSN:	TC-1975
Year of manufacture:	1976
Total airframe hrs:	3258 hours
Engine model:	Continental IO-470
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Los Angeles-Van Nuys Airport, CA (VNY/KVNY) - United States of America
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Los Angeles-Van Nuys Airport, CA (VNY/KVNY)
Destination airport:	Palm Springs International Airport, CA (PSP/KPSP)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
After completing an uneventful preflight inspection the pilot attempted to start the engines; however, neither would rotate. The pilot assumed that the battery was low, and that a low outside temperature had increased friction within the engine. He exited the airplane with the intention of rotating the propellers by hand, to increase lubrication within the engine. He pulled the left propeller through two rotations, and on the third rotation the engine inadvertently started. The airplane subsequently swiveled to the right and struck a building, causing substantial damage to the left wing. Examination of the left engine revealed that with the magneto switch set to the off position, rotation of the propeller by hand did not result in sparks at each spark plug electrode. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had set the parking brakes and chocked the wheels, as well as confirmed that the magneto switches were off and that the throttle and mixture controls were set to the retarded and idle-cutoff positions.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to turn off the engine magnetos and properly secure the airplane prior to rotating the propeller by hand, resulting in inadvertent movement of the airplane and collision with a building.

Accident investigation: