Sussex County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Georgetown, Delaware 19947
Friday, January 21, 1994 18:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While monitoring the unicom frequency for a lineman, the avionics shop owner heard a request from the airplane on the ramp over the radio. The avionics shop owner stated that she did not know what to do so she decided to go out to the airplane and tell the pilot that the lineman would be back in a minute. The avionics shop owner stated that she approached the right side of the airplane and her right hand contacted the propeller. Four fingers were severed from her right hand. The pilot stated that he saw the woman approaching the airplane's engine so he shut the engine down as soon as possible. He stated that the woman's hand contacted the engine's propeller before it stopped rotating.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of ground personnel to maintain clearance from the engine propeller.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/21/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GEORGETOWN
Event State DELAWARE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19947
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SUSSEX COUNTY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GED
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 51
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1845 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 1
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1061
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 21 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:23AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N95537
NTSB Number BFO94LA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15285916
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 28 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 88
Airframe Hours 1085
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name A. STUART CAMPBELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 176
Aircraft Owner City SMYRNA
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19977
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LAUREL AERO SERVICES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1 RUDDER LANE
Operator City GEORGETOWN
Operator State DE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19947
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 19 2001 5:00PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --