SEWANEE, TN, USA
N6720A
Cessna 172
Prior to his departure, the pilot informed his girlfriend of his proposed arrival time at the destination airport. After landing, the pilot proceeded to park the airplane on the ramp. The pilot said, he saw his girlfriend standing on a grassy hill on the airport as he taxied to parking. Before the pilot could complete the engine shut down, his girlfriend had started running to the airplane from the left side and continued to the right side of the airplane in front of the turning propeller. The pilot's girlfriend was struck by the turning propeller. Dark night conditions existed at the time.
On August 24, 1998, at 1945 central daylight time, a female pedestrian walked into the turning propeller assembly of a Cessna 172, N6720A, on the parking ramp at the Franklin County Airport in Sewanee, Tennessee. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. According to weather data from the nearest reporting facility, visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was not damaged. The private rated pilot was not injured, however the female pedestrian was seriously injured. The flight departed Cartersville, Georgia, at 1940 eastern daylight time. According to the pilot, prior to his departure from Cartersville, he informed his girlfriend of his proposed arrival time at the Franklin County Airport. As After landing, the pilot proceeded to park the airplane on the ramp. As the pilot taxied to the ramp, he saw his girlfriend standing on a grassy hill on the airport. The pilot parked the airplane, and before he could complete the engine shut down, his girlfriend ran from the left side of the airplane to the right side in front of the turning propeller. The pilot's girlfriend was struck by the turning propeller. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.
The inadequate visual lookout by the ground pedestrian. A factor was dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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