- Date
- November 6, 2008, 19:06 local (Nov 7, 2008, 00:06 UTC)
- Place
- Frederick, MD
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N1242CCessna 172
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) shutdown: AC/prop/rotor contact w person
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report December 24, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081106850819A
- Case key
- 69414
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The passenger’s failure to avoid the rotating propeller after exiting the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to include deplaning procedures as part of the passenger safety briefing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
After landing at the airport, the passenger seated in the left seat of the Cessna 172 exited the airplane to notify restaurant staff of her arrival. As she walked toward the front of the airplane, the passenger stated she did not see the rotating propeller and "walked into it." In a statement taken by local police immediately following the accident, the pilot reported he asked the passenger to get out of the airplane and go into the restaurant to find out where the airplane could be parked. In a subsequent written statement provided to the Safety Board, the pilot stated the passenger exited the airplane without his knowledge, while he was shutting down the engine. The passenger was not available to answer subsequent questions regarding what, if any, briefing was given to the passenger by the pilot, pertaining to procedures for exiting the airplane. During an interview, the pilot stated that prior to the flight he had not briefed the passenger on procedures for exiting the airplane.
Factual narrative
After landing at the airport, the passenger seated in the left seat of the Cessna 172 exited the airplane to notify restaurant staff of her arrival. As she walked toward the front of the airplane, the passenger stated she did not see the rotating propeller and "walked into it." In a statement taken by local police immediately following the accident, the pilot reported he asked the passenger to get out of the airplane and go into the restaurant to find out where the airplane could be parked. In a subsequent written statement provided to the Safety Board, the pilot stated the passenger exited the airplane without his knowledge, while he was shutting down the engine. The passenger was not available to answer subsequent questions regarding what, if any, briefing was given to the passenger by the pilot, pertaining to procedures for exiting the airplane. During an interview, the pilot stated that prior to the flight he had not briefed the passenger on procedures for exiting the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1242C
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (SP)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S10308
- Airframe hours
- 699
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Brett Aviation
- Registered owner
- 210 Centurion Group LCC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 28, 2008
- Departed
- KMTN · Baltimore, MD
- Destination
- KFDK · Frederick, MD
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KFDK · Frederick Municipal Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 6, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 176 in this make and model · 214 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 20° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- FDK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.