What happened
On April 30, 2018, a SCHEIBE SF28A motor glider, registration F-CFJB, was involved in a ground accident at the Salon Eygument aerodrome. Following a local flight, the pilot attempted to taxi the aircraft to a hangar located approximately 150 meters from the paved taxiway. Due to saturated grass areas, the pilot opted to use the paved parking area; however, the spacing between parked aircraft was too narrow to allow the motor glider to pass through without assistance.
To navigate the tight space, the pilot decided to perform an exceptional maneuver: the pilot exited the aircraft to guide it manually from the ground while the passenger, seated in the rear, operated the engine to move the aircraft forward. As the pilot climbed down the front side of the wing, the rotating propeller struck the pilot's head. The pilot subsequently passed away several weeks later due to the injuries sustained.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of events and the conditions at the aerodrome. The passenger, a glider pilot with approximately 100 flight hours, provided testimony regarding the maneuver. He noted that the engine was running at idle speed, approximately 1,000 RPM, to facilitate the movement. The passenger was focused on re-locking the canopy after the pilot had exited the cockpit and did not witness the exact moment of impact.
Findings
- The decision to maneuver the aircraft with the engine running was an exceptional and high-risk maneuver.
- The pilot chose to exit the aircraft via the front of the wing rather than the rear, which is the more standard and easier exit route from the rear seat.
- The one fatality resulted from the pilot's head being struck by the propeller during the descent from the aircraft.
- The investigation could not determine the specific reason why the pilot chose to exit via the forward section of the wing or the exact sequence that placed him within the propeller's arc.