19980824137939A

(-23) Pilot william lord jr. had flown to Franklin county, Sewanee airport to visit his girlfriend. While performing his shutdown checklist, his girlfriend miss seema patel, dob 05-17-77 ran towards the aircraft. Miss patel walked into the still turning propeller. The engine was running at idle power. Miss patel was life flighted by erlanger hospital. She was admitted in serious but stable condition. Injuries were two severe lacerations to her left arm. One almost severed her arm. (.4) on August 24, 1998, at 1945 central daylight time, a female pedestrian walked into the turning propeller assembly of a Cessna 172, N6720A, on the parking ramp at the Franklin County Airport in Sewanee, Tennessee. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. According to weather data from the nearest reporting facility, visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was not damaged. The private reated pilot was not injured, however the female pedestrian was seriously injured. The flight departed cartersville, Georgia, at 1940 eastern daylight time. According to the pilot, prior to his departure from cartersville, he informed his girlfriend of his proposed arrival time at the Franklin County Airport. As after landing, the pilot proceeded to park the airplane on the ramp. As the pilot taxied to the ramp, he saw his girlfriend standing on a grassy hill on the airport. The pilot parked the airplane, and before he could complete the engine shut down, his girlfriend ran from the left side of the airplane to the right side in front of the turning propeller. The pilot's girlfriend was struck by the turning propeller. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.