What happened
The incident occurred during the annual EAA AirVenture gathering in Oshkosh, where the pilot was maneuvering his aircraft out of the Antique/Classic Camping Area. To ensure safety while taxiing in the congested environment, the pilot utilized wing walkers to guide the aircraft's path.
At one point, the pilot brought the aircraft to a halt to allow his wife, who was seated as a passenger, to step away and perform a brief errand. After deplaning, she walked underneath the outer third section of the wing strut. While moving back toward the aircraft, she inadvertently entered the arc of the idling propeller.
The rotating blades struck her left forearm, resulting in severe trauma that nearly severed the limb. The pilot remained at the controls with the engine running during this period.
The investigation
Investigative details regarding mechanical failure or maintenance status were not provided in the source material. The focus of the account remains on the sequence of events involving the wing walker and the idling propulsion system.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the injury was the proximity of the passenger to the active propeller arc while the engine was idling. Despite the use of ground personnel for taxiing guidance, the area beneath the wing remained a hazard zone when the engine was operational.