Piper PA28
Wilmington, DE — February 29, 2020
Event Information
| Date | February 29, 2020 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA20CA117 |
| Event ID | 20200301X82907 |
| Location | Wilmington, DE |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 39.67861, -75.60667 |
| Airport | New Castle |
| Highest Injury | SERS |
Aircraft
| Make | Piper |
| Model | PA28 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 1 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 1 |
Probable Cause
The pilot being struck in the head by the propeller before flight, which resulted in a serious injury.
Full Narrative
A witness observed the pilot walking around his airplane while his 11-year-old son sat inside the aircraft. The next thing the witness observed was the pilot laying unresponsive in front of the engine and the son screaming on the phone to 911. The son was trying to describe his location, so the witness called ground control on his airplane's radio, who in turn dispatched rescue personnel. According to the police report, the pilot sustained a serious head wound and blood spatter was observed on the propeller. The report also stated that the airplane's power and fuel had to be turned off and the airplane tied down after the pilot was taken to the hospital. According to the pilot's wife, her husband and son were planning to depart on a cross country flight before the accident occurred.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.