At about 18:25 EST, a Signature Flight Support employee was killed by the propellor of a Piper Saratoga that was preparing to depart Washington Dulles International Airport. The pilot and four passengers were not injured. The pilot said he had performed a preflight of the airplane and had left the chock behind the nosewheel. After starting the engine, the pilot was transcribing the ATIS information when he looked out the windscreen and noticed the ramp worker approaching the airplane. The pilot raised his arms in an attempt to signal the employee to stop but he walked into the propeller. The front seat passenger said the pilot tried to shut down the engine but was too late. The passenger also said the Signature employee bent down as if to retrieve the chock from behind the nose wheel just before the prop struck him. Investigators determined that the victim had been employed at Signature for approximately 3 weeks. He had no prior aviation experience, but was involved in Signatures seven-part training program. He was studying part two, which included handling propeller airplanes.
Feb. 21, Dulles, Va. / Piper PA 32R-301 Saratoga
At about 18:25 EST, a Signature Flight Support employee was killed by the propellor of a Piper Saratoga that was preparing to depart Washington Dulles International Airport. The pilot and four passengers were not injured. The pilot said he had performed a preflight of the airplane and had left the chock behind the nosewheel. After starting the engine, the pilot was transcribing the ATIS information when he looked out the windscreen and noticed the ramp worker approaching the airplane. The pilot raised his arms in an attempt to signal the employee to stop but he walked into the propeller. The front seat passenger said the pilot tried to shut down the engine but was too late. The passenger als...
Key Takeaways:
- A Signature Flight Support employee was fatally struck by the propeller of a running Piper Saratoga at Washington Dulles International Airport.
- The pilot had started the engine and attempted to signal the approaching employee, who a passenger observed bending down as if to retrieve a nosewheel chock.
- The victim was a new hire with only three weeks of employment, lacked prior aviation experience, and was undergoing training that included handling propeller airplanes.
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