PIPER PA 18-150 — McCarthy, AK, 2015

PIPER PA 18-150 — McCarthy, AK

1 fatal High-time pilot

Date	June 4, 2015
Location	McCarthy, AK
Aircraft	PIPER PA 18-150
Purpose of flight	Instructional
Conditions	Day · Visual Meteorological Cond
Phase / occurrence	Standing-engine(s) operating AC/prop/rotor contact w person
Pilot age	62
Pilot total time	12,000 hrs · High time
Time in type	Unknown
Fatalities	1

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to ensure adequate clearance from the spinning propeller while traversing the area between the leading edge of the wing and the nose of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the decision to leave the cockpits of the airplanes unattended while the engines were idling and gear was being loaded on board.

NTSB findings

Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - F
Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot of other aircraft - F

What happened

The accident airplane and three other airplanes were parked in a slightly staggered line and were being prepared for a cross-country group instructional flight. To stave off swarms of mosquitos while loading the airplanes, the engines of all four airplanes were started and allowed to operate at idle with the cockpits unattended. While the pilot was loading gear onto the right side of the accident airplane, the unoccupied airplane to the left of the accident airplane began slowly moving forward. The pilot attempted to go around the front of the accident airplane toward the left wing, likely to avoid the propeller of the moving airplane. Subsequently, the pilot was struck three times by the back of the accident airplane's spinning propeller.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.