CHICAGO, IL, USA
N282AT
Aerospatiale ATR-42-300
The Aerospatiale ATR-42 was parked at gate G-16 at the O'Hare International Airport when a ramp service clerk walked into the right propeller. The left engine was shut down at the time and the right engine was operating. The clerk received nine stitches to his head and a broken collar bone. Aircraft wing lights and ramp lights were illuminated at the time. Headlights from vehicles parked on the ramp were also illuminating the right side of the airplane. The clerk was hired approximately 2 months prior to the accident. According to company records, he had received training regarding propeller awareness and the hazards of working around propeller driven aircraft.
On August 13, 1999, at 2214 central daylight time, an Aerospatiale ATR-42, N282AT, operated by American Eagle Airlines as Flight 4286 was involved in a propeller strike to a ramp service clerk while stopped on the ramp at gate G-16 at the O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois. The ramp agent received serious injuries. No injuries were sustained by the 3 crewmembers and 20 passengers on board the airplane. The 14 CFR Part 121 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and an IFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Lansing, Michigan, at 2147 eastern daylight time. The captain reported that once at the gate, the parking brake was set and the airplane was chocked. He reported that the number 1 (left) engine was shut down and feathered, but the number 2 (right) engine was not feathered because of the tailwind condition. He continued to report that ramp personnel approached the right side of the airplane and were connecting the GPU (ground power unit) when the "ramper walked into turning propeller." He reported the number 2 engine was immediately shut down and emergency medical personnel were requested over the aircraft radio. The captain reported that the aircraft wing lights were on at the time of the accident. One witness to the accident was a refueler who was sitting in his vehicle waiting to refuel N282AT. He reported seeing the ramp service clerk pull up to the right side of the airplane in a tug pulling baggage carts. He stated the ramp clerk blocked his path to the airplane so he pulled his fuel truck next to the tug on the right side of the airplane. He continued to report that the ramp clerk exited the tug and looked at a piece of paper that he was carrying in his hand. The witness reported the ramp agent then turned and walked toward the propeller. The refueler stated that he blew the horn on his vehicle, but the ramp clerk kept walking along the right side of the airplane until he was struck by the propeller. According to the U.S. Naval Observatory sunset on the night of the accident occurred at 1954 cdt. The end of civil twilight was at 2024 cdt. The refueler who witnessed the accident reported that both the headlights from his vehicle and the headlights on the tug were shining toward the right wing of the airplane. Ramp lighting in the area of gate G-16 was also operational on the night of the accident. The ramp clerk who was struck by the propeller received nine stitches in his head and suffered a broken collar bone. His employment with American Eagle began on June 7, 1999. According to American Eagle, the ramp clerk completed a one week classroom training session which included information and videos regarding safety around aircraft. One of the videos was titled "Propeller Awareness." The injured ramp service clerk's training record shows that he viewed this video. In addition to the week of classroom training, the injured ramp service clerk received one week of hands on equipment training, and a week of line training paired up with other ramp service clerks.
the failure of the ramp service clerk to maintain clearance with the operating propeller. A factor related to the accident the inattentiveness on the part of the clerk.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
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