What happened
On May 9, 1998, a Piper PA-18-181M, registration HB-ORH, was engaged in glider towing operations at the Bellechasse aerodrome in France. Following a towing mission, the pilot taxied the aircraft along a grass runway to clear the path for an arriving glider. During this process, the pilot stopped the aircraft to allow a fellow club member, a glider pilot, to board the rear seat.
After the passenger had boarded, the aircraft taxied to the threshold of runway 2ally 26 and performed a 180-degree turn to prepare for the next glider launch. Once the aircraft came to a halt, the pilot reduced the engine to idle. The passenger, who had previously been in the rear seat, exited the cabin via the front footstep. As the passenger moved forward along the aircraft, they collapsed, resulting in their head, left hand, and a finger on the right hand striking the propeller blades.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot held a valid license and the aircraft was properly equipped for daytime VFR and glider towing operations. The weather at the time of the event was clear with no wind. The aircraft was fitted with a fixed-pitch, four-bladed wooden propeller.
The investigation focused on the movement of the passenger during the disembarkation process. It was noted that the passenger had been active earlier that day, having completed a glider flight that morning. The investigation also examined the physical configuration of the aircraft, noting that high-wing aircraft with taildragger configurations can make rear-seat egress difficult due to the low wing height.
Findings
- The passenger's movement forward from the front footstep toward the aircraft's nose was deemed an illogical maneuver, likely caused by distraction.
- The passenger's head and hands struck the propeller blades during the fall.
- The injury was not fatal, which was attributed to the fact that the four-bladed propeller had a smaller diameter than a conventional two-bladed propeller, providing a few centimeters of critical clearance.
- The investigation highlighted that disembarking from aircraft with running engines carries inherent risks, particularly in high-wing taildragger models where pilots and passengers should ideally use the wing struts as handholds to maintain visibility and distance from the propeller.