Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 182 near Caddo Mills, TX — 2009-08-15

Final reportCEN09LA525
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Date
2009-08-15
Location
Caddo Mills, TX, USA
Airport
7F3
Aircraft
CESSNA 182
Registration
N2364G
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Ground

Probable cause

The failure of the operator to ensure that the airplane engine was shutdown during passenger unloading and the lack of adequate supervision of the passenger by the pilot and ground crewmember.

NTSB narrative

The airplane landed from a skydiving flight with a remaining passenger after three parachutists had jumped from the airplane. The engine was not shut down and the airplane was pointed toward the vehicle waiting for the passenger to deplane. When the passenger exited the airplane, a ground crewmember leaned toward the airplane to talk to the pilot while the passenger went around the right side of the airplane. The passenger walked forward into the rotating propeller. Federal Aviation Administration guidance information states that stopping the engine is the most effective way to ensure passengers arrive and depart the vicinity of an airplane safely. When necessary to discharge a passenger from an aircraft on which an engine is running, it advises that the pilot should never stop the aircraft with the propeller in the path of the passenger’s route from the aircraft.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have shut down the engine before allowing passenger to exit the aircraft.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

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