What happened
On March 10, 2002, at 17:50, a Scheibe SF 28 motor glider, registration F-CFJG, was performing local flight maneuvers at the Maubeuge aerodrome. The crew consisted of a pilot seated in the rear and a passenger, who held a glider training license, seated in the front.
During the landing on runway 23, the aircraft's right outrigger wheel broke. After completing two circuits, the pilot landed successfully but proceeded to vacate the runway via a taxiway to allow a waiting ultralight aircraft to proceed. Upon stopping on the taxiway, the passenger noted that the left wingtip was positioned over the runway surface. Without consulting the pilot, the passenger removed his headset and exited the aircraft from the left side, moving in front of the wing.
At the time of the exit, the engine was idling and the propeller was rotating. The pilot lost sight of the passenger, at which point the engine stalled. Upon exiting the aircraft to investigate, the pilot discovered that the passenger had struck the rotating propeller with his head.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events following the landing and the configuration of the aircraft's controls. It was established that on this specific model, the magneto selector, fuel valve, and propeller pitch control are all located exclusively in the front cockpit.
On the day of the accident, the propeller pitch control was non-functional and stuck in the "low pitch" setting. This mechanical limitation was the reason the pilot had permitted the passenger to occupy the front seat, as the pilot was positioned in the rear.
Findings
- The passenger sustained one fatality due to a propeller strike.
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's haste during the descent and shutdown phase of the aircraft while the engine remained running.
- The passenger exited the aircraft spontaneously and without coordination with the pilot.
- The passenger's path of egress took him directly into the arc of the rotating propeller.