Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 360; Flight Crew Type 265
Situational Awareness; Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Human Factors
I had parked the plane and positioned my PowerTow to place the plane in the hangar. I noticed that my flaps were down and returned to the cockpit to raise the flaps. Forgetting that the PowerTow was in front of my plane; and not seeing it; I started the engine. The propeller tore into the PowerTow; damaging the propeller. I immediately shut the engine down.
C177 pilot reported damaging the propeller while attempting to start the engine with the tow bar connected.