Casualties unknown

2000-02-20: Cessna 180 (N6545A) — Tower, MN

Tower, MN, US

On February 20, 2000, a Cessna 180 (registration N6545A) was involved in an aviation accident near Tower, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the passenger not maintaining clearance from the rotating propeller. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A passenger deplaned from a seaplane on Lake Vermilion, Minnesota, and walked into the rotating propeller, sustaining fatal injuries. The pilot and two other passengers were uninjured.

Incident

A flight originating from a private airstrip near Lake Vermilion, Minnesota, landed on Lake Vermilion at 1415. After landing, the aircraft came to a stop and was standing. A passenger deplaned and walked into the airplane's rotating propeller, sustaining fatal injuries. The pilot and two other passengers were uninjured.

Pilot Account

According to the pilot, his daughter's friends were approaching the airplane using their snowmobiles, and she was excited to meet them. After the aircraft stopped, the pilot pulled out the fuel mixture while shutting down other equipment. During this process, his daughter slipped out of the rear seat of the aircraft without his awareness. When he saw her outside, he screamed her name. As she turned to look at him, her body shifted forward, and she was struck in the head once by the propeller as it made its final revolution.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X20459. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.