Incident Overview
A student pilot taxied the aircraft to the run-up area and stopped with the engine running. A passenger, who was a rated helicopter pilot, exited the airplane to retrieve a portable communications radio. According to the student pilot, the passenger ducked under the wing strut and walked forward into the propeller. The aircraft remained stationary throughout the occurrence, as stated by the student.
Pilot and Passenger Accounts
The student pilot reported that the aircraft did not move during the incident. The passenger, however, indicated that he felt he had cleared the propeller arc and believed that the aircraft moved and struck him. The conflicting accounts highlight the differing perceptions of the sequence of events.
Injuries
The passenger received serious shoulder and back lacerations as a result of the propeller strike. No further details on the extent of injuries or treatment were provided in the source.