What happened
On May 30, 2025, at the EPML aerodrome, an instructor and a student were preparing for a cross-country flight in a Cessna C-152, registration SP-KMA. After starting the engine while parked, the instructor observed another aircraft, a Cessna C-152 with registration SP-KMG, taxiing nearby. The student pilot in SP-KMG requested assistance via radio to continue taxiing.
Because the instructor in SP-KMA did not have direct radio contact with the other aircraft, he exited the cockpit to provide instructions via hand signals. Crucially, the engine of SP-KMA remained running during this maneuver. While attempting to communicate, the instructor misjudged his distance from the rotating propeller. The propeller struck and lacerated the instructor's left arm, resulting in serious injuries. The students in both aircraft immediately shut down their engines and summoned emergency services. Ground personnel provided initial medical aid before professional medical teams arrived.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events, the communication between the two aircraft, and the instructor's decision-making process. The inquiry focused on the lack of radio coordination and the safety protocols regarding ground movement and engine operation during instructor-student interactions.
Findings
- The instructor's decision to exit the cockpit while the engine was running and his subsequent failure to maintain a safe distance from the propeller.
- An automated response by the instructor, likely due to habitual behavior, where he focused on assisting the other student without properly assessing the personal risk of propeller contact.
- Situational pressure caused by managing his own flight preparations while simultaneously attempting to assist another trainee.
- A lack of effective ground movement coordination and oversight of the student taxiing in SP-KMG.
- The absence of functional radio communication from the instructor's seat in SP-KMA during the encounter.