Student Pilot Killed When He Walked Into A Spinning Prop
The NTSB has concluded that 26-year-old Wei Jin did not see a
spinning propeller into which he walked, killing him on November
15th 2008. Jin was a student pilot at the Sierra Academy of
Aeronautics, and had ridden with his roommate, Jia Li , also a
student at SAA, on a cross-country flight. In the report, Li is
referred to as 'first pilot', and Jin 'second pilot'.
The the probable cause report states:
On November 15, 2008, about 1750 Pacific standard time, the student
pilot associated with the operations of a Cessna 152, N45994, was
killed after exiting the airplane and inadvertently contacting the
propeller, at the Atwater/Castle Airport (MER), Atwater,
California. The airplane was registered to KS Aviation, Inc. and
operated by Sierra Academy of Aeronautics under the provisions of
Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The first
student pilot, who was seated in the left seat and manipulating the
controls at the time of the accident, was not injured. The airplane
was not damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the
cross-country flight that originated from Visalia Municipal Airport
(VIS), Visalia, California, at 1625, with an intended destination
of MER.
For the purposes of this report, the student pilot manipulating
the flight controls at the time of the accident is referred to as
the first pilot; the student pilot that exited the airplane
(deceased) is referred to as the second pilot.
In a written statement provided to the National Transportation
Safety Board, the certified flight instructor (CFI) of both
students reported scheduling the second student pilot for a solo
cross country the morning of the accident. Before the flight, the
CFI met with the second student pilot at the airport to check
weather and endorse his logbook. The CFI watched the second student
pilot walk to the ramp to preflight the airplane and then left the
airport premises.
In a written statement, the first pilot stated he waited on the
first floor of the air traffic control tower while the second pilot
was dispatched the airplane. When the flight instructor left the
airport premises, the first pilot walked onto the ramp and joined
the second pilot for the cross-county flight. When departing MER
the second pilot was positioned in the left seat and manipulating
the flight controls. After landing at VIS, the student pilots
switched seats for the return flight to MER.
After landing, the second student pilot taxied the airplane
toward the ramp. The first pilot stated that prior to reaching the
parking area, the second student pilot, concerned about being seen
by flight school personnel, instructed him to taxi the airplane to
the designated parking area, and then he exited the airplane. The
first pilot reported that after exiting the airplane, the second
student pilot ran toward the front of the airplane and was struck
by the turning propeller.
According to U.S. Naval Observatory data, sunset occurred at
1652.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov