The pilot, who was conducting a local personal flight in a Cessna 162, said he developed “unnecessary anxiety” and hurried his landing due to approaching traffic.
He failed to brake aggressively and, as a result, was unable to turn in time to exit the runway at the airport in Conway, Arkansas. The airplane rolled off the taxiway and became bogged down in the wet grass from a previous rain.
Instead of shutting the engine off, the pilot closed the throttle to idle, exited the airplane, and tried to push the airplane with the left strut.
“Without thinking,” he walked toward the nosewheel to inspect the airplane and walked into the rotating propeller.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to shut down the engine before exiting the airplane and his failure to focus his attention on the task at hand, which led to his walking into a rotating propeller.
NTSB Identification: CEN17CA116
This March 2017 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.
Unreal.
As a CFI and FAASTeam Lead Rep, I have always trained everyone that no one ever exits an airplane with an engine running. This ranks amongst the deadliest of all aviation accidents and one of the easiest to avoid. This pilot is extremely lucky to be alive.
Anger produces stupidity.
Walking into a turning prop? Incredible. But it happens all too often. And arms and heads bear the brunt. Sadly tragic.