Summary
On February 20, 2000, a Cessna 180 (N6545A) was involved in an accident near Tower, MN. The accident resulted in 1 fatal injury, with 3 people uninjured out of 4 aboard.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The passenger not maintaining clearance from the rotating propeller.
On February 20, 2000, at 1430 central standard time, a Cessna 180, N6545A, operated by a private pilot, was standing on Lake Vermilion, near Tower, Minnesota, when a passenger deplaned and walked into the airplane's rotating propeller. The deplaned passenger sustained fatal injuries. The pilot and two other passengers were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was undamaged. The flight originated from a private airstrip near Lake Vermilion, Minnesota at 1415, landed on Lake Vermilion, and was standing at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that he landed the airplane on Lake Vermilion and stopped the airplane. He said that his daughter's friends were approaching the airplane using their snowmobiles.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CHI00LA072. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N6545A.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the passenger not maintaining clearance from the rotating propeller.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On February 20, 2000, at 1430 central standard time, a Cessna 180, N6545A, operated by a private pilot, was standing on Lake Vermilion, near Tower, Minnesota, when a passenger deplaned and walked into the airplane's rotating propeller. The deplaned passenger sustained fatal injuries. The pilot and two other passengers were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was undamaged. The flight originated from a private airstrip near Lake Vermilion, Minnesota at 1415, landed on Lake Vermilion, and was standing at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that he landed the airplane on Lake Vermilion and stopped the airplane. He said that his daughter's friends were approaching the airplane using their snowmobiles. He stated that she was "...excited to meet with her friends."
The pilot stated, "When the aircraft stopped I pulled out the fuel mixture as I was shutting down other equipment in the aircraft my daughter ... slipped out of the rear seat of the aircraft, when I saw her outside I screamed her name as she turned to look at me her body shifted foward and she was struck in the head once as the prop made its final revolution."
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI00LA072