What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) One of the ground crew was washing down the airplane while the engine was running, with the pilot in the airplane and at the controls, when he backed into the propeller arc and was struck three times by the propeller blades. He was seriously injured and was airlifted to springfield, MO, by helicopter. He is expected to live but will have permanent damage to his left arm and shoulder. The aircraft had made its last flight of the day and the pilot was letting the engine idle for a few minutes, for cooling purposes as instructed by the operator, when the accident occurred. The ground crew had been trained to stay behind the wing when working around a running aircraft, this worker emerged from under the wing and backed into the propeller arc.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ONE OF THE GROUND CREW WAS WASHING DOWN THE AIRPLANE WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, WITH THE PILOT IN THE AIRPLANE AND AT THE CONTROLS, WHEN HE BACKED INTO THE PROPELLER ARC AND WAS STRUCK THREE TIMES BY THE PROPELLER BLADES. HE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND WAS AIRLIFTED TO SPRINGFIELD, MO, BY HELICOPTER. HE IS EXPECTED TO LIVE BUT WILL HAVE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO HIS LEFT ARM AND SHOULDER. THE AIRCRAFT HAD MADE ITS LAST FLIGHT OF THE DAY AND THE PILOT WAS LETTING THE ENGINE IDLE FOR A FEW MINUTES, FOR COOLING PURPOSES AS INSTRUCTED BY THE OPERATOR, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE GROUND CREW HAD BEEN TRAINED TO STAY BEHIND THE WING WHEN WORKING AROUND A RUNNING AIRCRAFT, THIS WORKER EMERGED FROM UNDER THE WING AND BACKED INTO THE PROPELLER ARC.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.