# NTSB NYC97LA089: Piper PA-28R-200, N56639, Pottstown, PA, May 11, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 11, 1997, 13:55 local (17:55 UTC) - Place: Pottstown, PA - Coordinates: 40.249057, -75.63948 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2491&lon=-75.6395&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report February 2, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39356 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC97LA089 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39356/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA089 ## Probable cause was the flight instructor's diverted attention while standing on the wing behind a turning propeller, which resulted in his departure from the wing, forward into the turning propeller. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, standing - engine(s) operating - unsafe/hazardous condition - diverted attention, flight instructor(on ground) (cause) ## Analysis The pilot experienced difficulty in starting the engine of a Piper PA-28R-200. A Cessna 172 returning from a dual instructional flight pulled into the parking space to the left of the Piper. The flight instructor exited the Cessna 172, and assisted the pilot of the Piper in starting the engine. Once the engine was started, the flight instructor stood up on the right wing, and exited forward into the turning propeller, where he was fatally injured. At the time of occurrence, a motorized glider was taxiing in front of the Piper, passing from right to left. The wing of the glider had cleared the Piper by about 3 feet, and was approaching the Cessna which was parked further forward. ## Factual narrative On May 11, 1997, about 1355 eastern daylight time, a flight instructor was fatally injured by the rotating propeller on N56639, a Piper PA-28R-200, at the Pottstown-Limerick airport, Pottstown, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot of the PA-28 was not injured, and the airplane received minor damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight which was planned to be operated under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aviation Accident Report, the private pilot stated: "I had completed a preflight inspection of PIPER N56639, VMC prevailed. I next conducted the pre-start checklist. The hand parking brake was in the activated position. I turned the engine over a few times, but it did not start...a Cessna 172, N6871H, taxied in and parked in the next space to my left the nose protruding forward of the nose of N56639. The pilot of the Cessna 172, a flight instructor, came aboard 56639 to assist me in starting the plane. I did not ask him to come aboard. The engine was subsequently started. The flight instructor then said good bye, got out onto the right wing of the PIPER, and shut the right door. The door was latched. The engine was at idle of 1,000 RPM. The instructor then proceeded to walk rapidly and deliberately toward the front of the right wing and jumped off of the leading edge of the wing and contacted the spinning prop...It took 1-2 seconds from the time that the flight instructor moved forward until the time he came in contact with the prop. I had no warning whatsoever that the flight instructor was going to deplane to the front...At no time did the PIPER N56639 move. It was stationary the entire time. The hand brake was deployed the entire time and remained as such after the accident. My feet were on the toe brakes as well. At the time of the accident a motor glider was taxiing from my right to left. The motor glider's left wing tip had just passed the center line of the PIPER and cleared the PIPER nose by about 2-3 feet. The Cessna to my left that come in was pulled forward ahead of the PIPER...The Cessna was protruding into the taxiway...." Additional witnesses were interviewed by a police officer from the Limerick Police Department who reported that once on the ground, the flight instructor appeared to stumble forward into the propeller. According to FAA records, the flight instructor had in excess of 300 hours. An autopsy was conducted on May 12, 1997, by Halbert Fillinger, M.D., medical examiner for Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. A toxicological examination conducted by and independent laboratory, for Montgomery County was negative for drugs and alcohol. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N56639](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N56639), registered now, S/N 28R-7435021, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28R-200 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (registry code 7102811) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 74-35021 - Airframe hours: 3236 - Engines: Lycoming IO-36-C1C 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Fare Share Ltd - Registered owner: Blue Horseshoe Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 8, 1997, 2 hours before - Departed: PTW - Airport: PTW, Pottstown-Limerick ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 504 total, 13 in this make and model, 342 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 14 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 19970511009749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970511009749A), May 11, 1997: Piper PA28R200, Pottstown, PA, Minor damage, 1 fatal. CFI aided pilot in starting engine. Got out. Jumpd forward off wing and was struck by the idling propeller. ## Other investigations on N56639 (1) 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. - [NTSB CHI76FET37](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI76FET37), May 31, 1976: Piper PA-28R (N56639), Munster, IN, substantial damage 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.