What happened
On 3 April 2023, a Diamond DA40, registration F-GUVU, was undergoing engine start-up for a training flight at Annecy-Meythet aerodrome. During the start-up sequence, a bag left on the aircraft's left wing fell to the ground, likely due to the propeller blast. An air traffic controller alerted the crew to the fallen item.
To avoid the time-consuming process of shutting down and restarting the engine—driven by pressure to maintain the flight instruction schedule—the instructor decided to keep the engine running at idle. The instructor instructed the student-pilot to exit the aircraft to retrieve the bag. The instructor assumed the student would exit from the rear of the aircraft, and no specific instructions were given regarding a safe path of travel.
As the student-pilot exited using the step in front of the leading edge, they moved forward and bent down to look under the wing. This movement brought the student-pilot into the path of the propeller, which struck their right arm and threw them to the ground. The instructor immediately stopped the engine and alerted emergency services.
The investigation
The investigation, supported by security camera footage and radio recordings, established that the student-pilot exited from the front of the wing rather than the rear. The analysis of the video confirmed that the student-pilot moved toward the propeller while attempting to locate the bag. The investigation also noted that the instructor's decision to keep the engine running was influenced by several factors, including the desire to avoid delays and a high level of confidence in the student-pilot's proficiency. Furthermore, the investigation found that the student-pilot had not been specifically briefed on safe movement around the aircraft while the engine was running, nor had they been warned of the specific dangers of the rotating propeller in this context.
Findings
Several contributing factors were identified in the accident:
- The placement of a bag on the wing prior to the pre-flight inspection, which led to its eventual fall.
- A failure to verify that all necessary documents were on board before engine start-up.
- Time pressure to avoid interrupting the instruction session, which led the instructor to keep the engine running during the retrieval attempt.
- Inadequate coordination between the instructor and the student-pilot regarding the specific path to take when exiting the cockpit.
- An underestimation of the risks associated with moving around an aircraft while the propeller is rotating.