# NTSB ERA20CA117: Piper PA28, N228JS, Wilmington, DE, February 29, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 29, 2020, 09:25 local (14:25 UTC) - Place: Wilmington, DE - Coordinates: 39.678611, -75.606666 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6786&lon=-75.6067&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Standing-engine(s) start-up: AC/prop/rotor contact w person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 29, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101023 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA117 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101023/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101023 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA117 ## Probable cause The pilot being struck in the head by the propeller before flight, which resulted in a serious injury. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-151, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102805), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Standing-engine(s) start-up: AC/prop/rotor contact w person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-151, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081/sequence.md?model=7102805), [All aircraft, 61 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/081/sequence.md) ## Analysis A witness reported seeing the pilot walking around his airplane while his son sat inside it. The witness then saw the pilot laying unresponsive on the ground in front of the engine. According to the police report, the pilot sustained a serious head wound, and blood spatter was observed on the propeller. The report also stated that, after the pilot was taken to the hospital, the power and fuel had to be turned off and that the airplane had to be tied down. ## Factual narrative A witness observed the pilot walking around his airplane while his 11-year-old son sat inside the aircraft. The next thing the witness observed was the pilot laying unresponsive in front of the engine and the son screaming on the phone to 911. The son was trying to describe his location, so the witness called ground control on his airplane's radio, who in turn dispatched rescue personnel. According to the police report, the pilot sustained a serious head wound and blood spatter was observed on the propeller. The report also stated that the airplane's power and fuel had to be turned off and the airplane tied down after the pilot was taken to the hospital. According to the pilot's wife, her husband and son were planning to depart on a cross country flight before the accident occurred. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N228JS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N228JS), registered now, S/N 28-7415103, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA28 (151) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-151](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151) (registry code 7102805) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7415103 - Year built: 1974 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 SERIES 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: ILG, Wilmington, DE - Destination: MGW, Morgantown, WV - Airport: ILG, New Castle - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: none; flight hours: 827 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 15 knots, gusting 23 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: ILG ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200229000589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200229000589A), Feb 29, 2020: Piper PA-28-151, Wilmington, DE, No damage. The pilot was attempting to hand prop his aircraft for the purpose of flight. His 11 year old son was inside the aircraft while he attempted the hand propping.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 13, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101023. 645 KB in all. - Police Report (item 1, .PDF, 320 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482206&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Police%20Report-Master.PDF - Photo (item 2, .PDF, 325 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482207&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.