No fatalities

23 Jul 2009: PIPER PA-25-235 — Plane Cents Aviation — Miller, MO

Miller, MO, United States

On 23 Jul 2009, a PIPER PA-25-235 operated by Plane Cents Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Miller, MO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the operator to shut down aircraft while conducting servicing which resulted in a ground person being struck by the rotating aircraft propeller. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

An aerial application airplane was parked with engine running for cooling. A loader cleaning the aircraft was struck three times by the rotating propeller and sustained serious injuries.

Accident Description

An aerial application airplane had just completed its last flight of the day and was parked with the engine running for cooling purposes before being shut down. A ground support person, identified as an aircraft loader, was assisting in cleaning the airplane while the engine was still running. The loader began rinsing underneath the airplane and progressed inwards toward the wing root.

Injuries

While cleaning, the loader stood up and was struck three times by the rotating propeller. The loader received serious injuries as a result of the strikes.

Aircraft and Operational Context

The airplane was an aerial application type, and the engine was left running during the cleaning process. The loader was performing rinsing duties under the aircraft when the contact occurred.

Contributing factors

OperatorGround crewIncorrect use/operation