What happened
On 26 July 2001, a Luscombe 8A, registration G-BSTX, arrived at a private landing site in Kilkeel, Co. Down, for a private flight. Following the flight, a 13-year-old passenger exited the aircraft through the right-hand door. At the time of disembarkation, the engine remained running at idle speed because the pilot planned to perform a subsequent solo flight.
As the passenger moved away from the aircraft, she walked toward a friend located in front of and to the left of the plane. Instead of walking around the rear of the aircraft as the pilot had anticipated, the passenger walked underneath the wing and strut, crossing the path of the propeller. The rotating propeller tip struck the passenger's left arm, resulting in one serious injury. The engine was immediately stopped, and the passenger was transported to a hospital, where her arm was later amputated above the elbow.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation established that the pilot had not undergone formal flight training and did not hold a valid pilot's licence. Additionally, the aircraft's Permit to Fly had expired on 18 June 2001. While the pilot stated he had issued a warning to the passenger to be careful, the passenger had no memory of such an instruction. The investigation also noted that the pilot's lack of formal training meant he had not been exposed to standard aviation safety cultures or official safety publications regarding passenger care.
Findings
- The primary cause of the injury was the passenger walking into the path of a rotating propeller.
- The engine was left running during passenger disembarkation, a practice that carries significant inherent danger.
- The passenger's path of travel took her under the wing and strut, directly in front of the aircraft's nose.
- The pilot's lack of formal training contributed to a lack of awareness regarding the risks of disembarking passengers while the engine is running.