Summary
On February 29, 2020, a Piper PA28 (N228JS) was involved in an accident near Wilmington, DE. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury, with 1 person uninjured out of 2 aboard.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot being struck in the head by the propeller before flight, which resulted in a serious injury.
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.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA20CA117. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N228JS.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot being struck in the head by the propeller before flight, which resulted in a serious injury.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
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.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA20CA117