What happened
On the afternoon of January 6, 1971, a pilot was preparing a Cessna 337 Super Skymaster, registration OE-FAM, for a private flight from Samedan to Innsbruck. While the pilot was running the engines to warm them up at the parking stand, a pedestrian approached the aircraft. The pedestrian, who was known to one of the passengers already on board, stopped briefly to greet the passenger through the open door.
After the brief interaction, the pedestrian walked toward the rear of the aircraft. The pilot attempted to warn the individual by shouting and waving, but the person entered the danger zone of the rear propeller. At approximately 15:30, the occupants of the aircraft observed small objects being thrown from the propeller arc. The pilot immediately shut down the engines and discovered that the pedestrian had been struck by the propeller and sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
An investigation was conducted in collaboration with the Pontresina Cantonal Police. Investigators examined the aircraft, the engine warm-up process, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation established that the aircraft was airworthy and that no technical malfunctions contributed to the event. The ground surface at the parking stand was covered with a thin, compacted layer of snow. The investigation also noted that the area where the accident occurred was in the shadow of a hangar, while the surrounding environment was brightly lit.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the incorrect behavior of the pedestrian, which led them into the hazardous area of the rear propeller.
- The pedestrian may have failed to recognize the danger due to the lighting conditions and the low visibility of the rear propeller.
- It is possible that the pedestrian slipped on the icy ground or tripped over the aircraft's landing gear while walking past the plane.
- The pilot cannot be expected to personally secure all hazard zones around the aircraft from third parties and must rely on the assumption that only authorized personnel or those accompanied by crew will enter the danger area.