# AC/prop/rotor contact w person

- Type: NTSB defining event
- NTSB code: 081
- CICTT category: Ground Handling
- Defining event in: 51 cases
- In the sequence of: 61 cases
- Fatal cases: 21
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081/cases.md
- Cases with it anywhere in the sequence: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081/sequence.md
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081

## Cases per year (defining / in the sequence)

- 2008: 5 / 7
- 2009: 3 / 4
- 2010: 1 / 2
- 2011: 3 / 3
- 2012: 3 / 3
- 2013: 3 / 3
- 2014: 2 / 3
- 2015: 1 / 2
- 2016: 4 / 4
- 2017: 4 / 4
- 2018: 2 / 2
- 2019: 2 / 2
- 2020: 3 / 3
- 2021: 1 / 1
- 2022: 3 / 3
- 2023: 3 / 4
- 2024: 5 / 7
- 2025: 3 / 3
- 2026: 0 / 1

## Phase of flight

- Standing-engine(s) operating: 26 cases
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: 8 cases
- Prior to flight: 5 cases
- Landing-landing roll: 4 cases
- Other: 2 cases
- Uncontrolled descent: 1 cases
- Landing: 1 cases
- Takeoff: 1 cases
- Taxi-from runway: 1 cases
- Taxi: 1 cases

## In the probable cause of these cases

- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 13 cases
- [Attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510) (Personnel issues): 5 cases
- [Person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022035) (Environmental issues): 4 cases
- [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510) (Personnel issues): 3 cases
- [Switching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057430) (Aircraft): 3 cases
- [Availability of policy/proc](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04021010) (Organizational issues): 2 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 4 cases
- [Cessna 182Q](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182q): 2 cases
- [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152): 2 cases
- [Stinson 108](https://openairdocs.org/model/stinson-108): 1 cases
- [Taylorcraft BC12-D](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-bc12-d): 1 cases
- [Luscombe 8F](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8f): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-28-151](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161): 1 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB CEN25LA316](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA316), Aug 12, 2025: Xag P100 PRO (N467GE), Depew, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the unmanned aircraft system during takeoff.
- [NTSB CEN25LA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA243), Jul 8, 2025: Stinson 108 (N97577), Seguin, TX, no damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to turn off the magneto switch before repositioning the propeller by hand which resulted in an inadvertent engine start.
- [NTSB GAA25WA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA25WA171), May 29, 2025: Cessna 188 (HK1817), Trinidad Casanare, Colombia, minor damage, 1 fatal
- [NTSB CEN25LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA028), Oct 26, 2024: Cessna 182Q (N8883X), Rose Hill, KS, no damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB ERA25LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA032), Oct 25, 2024: Aero SP Z O O AT-4 LSA (N401G), South Charleston, WV, minor damage. Probable cause: The pedestrian’s inadequate visual lookout while walking next to an active runway, which resulted in the airplane striking him during taxi.
- [NTSB CEN24LA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA197), May 25, 2024: Cessna U206 (N29173), Butler, MO, destroyed. Probable cause: The jumper’s unintentional deployment of his emergency parachute and subsequent impact with the airplane’s horizontal stabilizer.
- [NTSB ERA24LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA149), Mar 20, 2024: Piper PA28 (N686JA), Apopka, FL, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot and the landscape worker’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision.
- [NTSB WPR24LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA099), Feb 27, 2024: Piper PA-18A 150 (N518SW), Dallesport, WA, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to disengage the ignition prior to moving the propeller by hand resulting in the inadvertent starting of the engine.
- [NTSB WPR23LA259](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA259), Jun 24, 2023: Aviat A-1B (N307F), Las Vegas, NV, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s unsafe inflight operation of the airplane and failure to maintain clearance from a person on the ground, which resulted in a serious injury.
- [NTSB WPR23LA207](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA207), May 26, 2023: Cessna 182Q (N94599), Kingman, AZ, minor damage. Probable cause: The failure of the passenger to adequately maintain a safe distance from the airplane’s propeller and the determination to let the passenger exit the airplane with the engine running.

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted.

Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1).

NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names.

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