What happened
During the engine start sequence of an aircraft, a ground lineman was utilized to connect an external power unit to the plane. Once the engines were successfully started, the lineman proceeded to disconnect the power unit from the aircraft.
The pilot observed the disconnection and continued with the remaining items on the pre-flight checklist. Upon looking up to locate the ground crew member, the pilot observed an individual walking away from the aircraft and incorrectly assumed this person was the lineman who had been assisting with the power unit.
Believing the area was clear, the pilot released the brakes and initiated forward movement of the aircraft. However, the lineman remained positioned at the external power receptacle, which was located on the right side of the nose in front of the propeller. As the aircraft moved forward, the right propeller struck both the lineman and the power unit, resulting in fatal injuries to the ground worker.
A toxicology examination performed on the lineman's blood revealed an alcohol concentration level of 0.037%.