LAX94LA376

AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT ADVISED GROUND CONTROL THAT A PASSENGER HAD TO USE THE RESTROOM. THE PILOT STOPPED THE AIRPLANE IN FRONT OF THE TERMINAL TO LET THE PASSENGER OUT AND THEN PARK THE AIRCRAFT IN TRANSIENT PARKING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE TO DEPLANE THE PASSENGER; HOWEVER, HE DID TELL HER TO WALK AROUND THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT TO AVOID THE PROPELLER. THE PASSENGER DEPLANED FROM THE LEFT DOOR AND WALKED FORWARD INTO THE ROTATING PROPELLER. THE PILOT VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED TO A TOXICOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF BLOOD AND URINE SPECIMENS, WHICH WERE NEGATIVE FOR ALCOHOL AND ALL SCREENED DRUG SUBSTANCES. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS ON BLOOD SAMPLES FROM THE DECEASED PASSENGER WERE POSITIVE FOR BLOOD ETHANOL AT A LEVEL OF 0.17 GM/percent.

On September 24, 1994, at 1545 hours Pacific daylight time, a passenger was fatally injured after walking into the rotating propeller of a Cessna 182Q, N96642, at the North Las Vegas Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada. The pilot and two other passengers onboard were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight which originated at Yuma, Arizona, on the day of the accident at 1330 mountain standard time.

After landing, the pilot advised ground control that a passenger had to use the restroom. According to the pilot's written and oral statements, he stopped the airplane in front of the terminal to let the passenger out and then park the aircraft in transient parking. The pilot stated that he did not shut down the engine to deplane the passenger; however, he did tell her to walk around the tail of the aircraft to avoid the propeller. The passenger deplaned from the left door and walked forward into the rotating propeller.

Responding North Las Vegas Police officers and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors reported that a strong odor of alcohol was detected in the aircraft. Subsequent investigation by North Las Vegas Police detectives established that the deceased passenger and another passenger, who were in the rear seats, had partially consumed an alcoholic beverage during the flight. The surviving rear seat passenger stated that the beverage had spilled on the floor during the excitement of the accident.

The pilot voluntarily submitted to a toxicological examination of blood and urine specimens. The testing was performed under the supervision of the North Las Vegas Police Department. The tests were negative for alcohol and all screened drug substances.

Toxicological tests were performed on blood samples from the deceased passenger by the Clark County Coroner/Medical Examiner's Office. The tests were positive for blood ethanol at a level of 0.17 gm/percent.