The pilot of the Cessna 172 had previously flown with two passengers on separate flights. The passengers stated that the pilot briefed them that they were to enter and exit the airplane at all times from the right rear and that, at no time, should they be near or in front of the airplane while the engine was operating.
A third passenger boarded the airplane from the right rear, and the flight departed for a local flight.
The pilot reported that, after landing at Geneva, Fla., and with the engine still running, he briefed the passenger to deplane to the rear. The passenger exited the airplane and closed the door.
However, instead of walking to the rear as instructed, she cleared the right wing lift strut and walked forward. The pilot yelled to her to stop but not before the propeller hit her arm, causing a serious injury.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the passenger’s failure to adhere to the pilot’s instructions to stay away from the front of the airplane when the engine was operating.
NTSB Identification: ERA13LA248
This May 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.
Passengers can fall out of a Cessna, off the wing of a Piper or Cirrus, walk into a prop, and get disoriented on the ramp. I get more concerned about what could happen the more I think about it. After completing the full shutdown checklist, I like to be standing close enough to catch someone who may trip or slip, make sure they stay under a high wing until safely clear, and walk with them all the way either off the ramp or into the building as appropriate. And even then they may come back out onto the ramp for some reason. So I don’t think you can be too careful.
This quote from the FAA on scene inspector’s report says it all: “The pilot advised that he not only briefed his niece about entering and exiting the aircraft but also to the previous two passengers that flew at 1730 to 1740 then another at 1740 to 1750 all who verified and confi1med his briefing and they all followed those instructions. The victim did in fact enter the aircraft from the rear at 1750 but apparently did not remember or got distracted upon exiting the aircraft and went forward in to the prop.”
Never trust a passenger to recognize the danger and follow even the most repeated and acknowledged words.
A few years back a friend and I flew riders from sun rise till sunset in a J3 Cub at a fly in.
Although it required hand propping to start, we wouldn’t allow a passenger to deplane till the propeller stopped moving.
Then we wouldn’t start it till the new passenger was securely fastened in and the propeller area clear.
Charlie
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. If any aircraft operation is on such a tight schedule, or the airplane’s engine is so balky that it won’t easily hot start, that the operator prefers not to shut the engine down, he/she shouldn’t be giving people rides, period.
Always shut the engine down when you have passengers. All the noise, wind and everything else can easily distract anybody into a moment’s (potentially lethal) confusion. It’s not worth putting any passenger at risk like that, is it?
Normally the Faa finds some fault with the pilot but in this case I think the pilot is partially to blame. I never let any passenger near the plane (in or out) when the prop is spinning. Period. So it takes an extra 10s to shutdown and restart. Big deal
You said it perfectly.