The pilot reported that he and a passenger were preparing to take off in a Quicksilver Sport from an airport in Camarillo, Calif.
The airplane has a rear-mounted engine and the engine was running when the passenger’s girlfriend approached the airplane from behind to check an airframe-mounted camera she had installed to document the flight.
Several people standing near warned her to stay clear of the propeller. She did not heed the warnings and was hit in the head by the propeller and was seriously injured. The pilot heard the noise and immediately shut the engine down.
The NTSB attributed the accident to the girlfriend’s failure to stay clear of a spinning propeller.
NTSB Identification: WPR13LA096
This January 2013 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.