On August 13, 1999, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Taylorcraft BC12-D airplane, N96921, sustained substantial damage while the pilot was starting the airplane, about 27 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska, at latitude 61 degrees, 16 minutes north, and longitude 150 degrees, 53.5 minutes west. The airplane was being started to begin a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight by the pilot. The commercial certificated pilot was not on board the airplane, and was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 3, 1999, the pilot reported he landed on a remote road, next to the Theodore River, to fish. While preparing to depart, he pulled the airplane onto the road and set the parking brake. The pilot said he turned the magnetos on, and bumped the throttle slightly open. He then spun the propeller by hand. The engine started, and the airplane began to move forward. Before the pilot could enter the airplane, it traveled about 150 feet, off the roadway, and into a ditch. The right wing struck several bushes, and the airplane received damage to both right wing lift struts.