ANC96LA117

The pilot reported he was beginning to taxi the airplane from the ramp area to the active runway. While still on the ramp, and partially through a left turn, the airplane's right wing struck a cargo handler, breaking one or more of her ribs. The pilot said he was looking to the left during the turn, and did not see the cargo handler until after the impact.

On August 3, 1996, about 1305 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N4170R, struck a cargo handler while taxiing for takeoff at the Tuntutuliak airstrip, Tuntutuliak, Alaska. The cargo handler sustained serious injuries; the airline transport certificated pilot and the sole passenger aboard the airplane were not injured. The air taxi flight was being operated by Kusko Aviation in visual meteorological conditions. The airplane was not damaged in the mishap.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge on August 6, the chief pilot for Kusko Aviation related that the pilot of the accident airplane was just beginning to taxi for takeoff from the ramp area when the right wing struck a female cargo handler, breaking one or more of her ribs. The chief pilot said that at the time of the accident, the pilot did not believe that the cargo handler sustained more than a bruise from the impact. They learned two days later that she had broken ribs.

The pilot of the accident airplane reported he was taxiing the airplane on the ramp, and was about one-half way through a left turn when the right wing struck the ramp worker. He said he was looking towards the left, and did not see the cargo handler until after the impact.