- Date
- April 20, 1994, 15:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Auburn, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N159BCCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940420009379A
- Case key
- 41913
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
Clearance was not maintained by an other person. A factor to the accident was: procedures/directives were inadequate.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While the airplane was standing on the ramp with the engine running, an individual approached the airplane on the right side to deliver a letter to the pilot. At the conclusion of the conversation, the individual closed the door and walked under the right wing strut and forward. The individual did not maintain sufficient clearance from the propeller and was struck on the left arm and shoulder.
Factual narrative
On April 20, 1994, at 1550 Pacific daylight time, an individual was struck by the propeller of a Cessna 152, N159BC, that was standing on the ramp at the Auburn Airport, Auburn, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was not damaged and the commercial pilot was not injured. The individual sustained serious injuries to her left arm and shoulder.
The pilot reported that this individual met him at the airport to deliver a letter to him. The individual approached the airplane from the right side and opened the door. At the conclusion of their conversation, the pilot instructed the individual to walk straight out to the wing tip and remain clear of the propeller. The individual instead, walked out around the right wing strut, then forward and was struck by the moving propeller.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N159BC
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15280737
- Airframe hours
- 5,901
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Crest Airpark
- Registered owner
- Grier, Norman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 25, 1994
- Departed
- S36 · Kent, WA
- Airport
- S50 · Auburn
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,565 total · 34 in this make and model · 1,245 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SEA, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.