Piper Single Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 10; Flight Crew Total 180; Flight Crew Type 180
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Human Factors; Aircraft; Procedure
I followed the usual hand propping procedure; had the throttle cracked maybe 3/8 inch at most. When the engine started; it ran fast enough to break [my passenger's hold on the horizontal stabilizer]. I cleared the front of the plane in plenty of time; but as it went past me; I tried to enter the cockpit by grabbing onto the lower right strut; but didn't have enough strength to pull myself within reach of the throttle lever. The plane thus dragged me around for maybe a turn (to the right; I think). After I finally let go; I was mainly concerned with avoiding it; I don't recall making a second attempt to get in the cockpit. The plane did keep circling; I fell to the ground to avoid it as it circled; and the left main ran over my left shoulder which caused my left shoulder to be dislocated. After that; the plane kept in its circular path; finally running into a lift; where it stopped.
Piper J5 pilot reported losing control of the aircraft after hand propping the engine.