Piper PA-28-140 accident near Falls Of Rough, Kentucky, March 3, 1994
On March 3, 1994 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4487J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Falls Of Rough, Kentucky (Rough River State Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE TIEDOWN AND STARTING PROCEDURE WHICH RESULTED IN A RUNAWAY AIRCRAFT, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A BUILDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1994 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Falls Of Rough, Kentucky · Rough River State Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4487J · no longer on the register · serial 28-22905
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS HAND PROPPING THE ENGINE WHEN IT STARTED AND THE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT TAXIED UNDER ITS OWN POWER AND STRUCK A BUILDING. THE PILOT'S FOUR-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST TIME ATTEMPTING TO HANDPROP AN ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE TIED DOWN THE TAIL AND SET THE BRAKES BEFOREHAND. HE TRIED ABOUT 20 TIMES BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTED. AFTER THE ENGINE STARTED HE JUMPED ON THE RIGHT WING AND DRAGGED HIS FEET TO SLOW DOWN THE AIRPLANE. THIS SLOWED AND TURNED THE AIRPLANE TOWARD THE BUILDING. THE PILOT STATED THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HE HAD PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS IN HAND PROPPING, AND IF A QUALIFIED PILOT IN TYPE AIRCRAFT WAS AT THE CONTROLS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 389 hours in all; 254 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 323 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,546 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E28 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.