What happened
The incident occurred while a floatplane was being beached. The pilot was in the process of shutting down the engine after landing. Despite receiving repeated instructions to remain inside the cabin, the passenger exited the aircraft.
After exiting, the individual ran forward along the float toward the nose of the aircraft. At this time, the propeller was still coasting from the shutdown sequence. The passenger was struck by the rotating blades during this maneuver.
The investigation
The pilot reported that the accident was caused by the passenger's failure to follow safety instructions. The pilot had explicitly instructed the passenger not to exit the cabin while the engine was being shut down. The mechanical condition of the aircraft was not cited as a contributing factor; the propeller continued to rotate due to normal inertia after engine shutdown.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was the passenger's decision to exit the aircraft during an unsafe phase of operation. The pilot had provided clear warnings, which were disregarded. The proximity of the passenger to the propeller arc while it was still turning led directly to the injury.