Frederick Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frederick, Maryland 21701
Thursday, November 6, 2008 19:06 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After landing at the airport, the passenger seated in the left seat of the Cessna 172 exited the airplane to notify restaurant staff of her arrival. As she walked toward the front of the airplane, the passenger stated she did not see the rotating propeller and "walked into it." In a statement taken by local police immediately following the accident, the pilot reported he asked the passenger to get out of the airplane and go into the restaurant to find out where the airplane could be parked. In a subsequent written statement provided to the Safety Board, the pilot stated the passenger exited the airplane without his knowledge, while he was shutting down the engine. The passenger was not available to answer subsequent questions regarding what, if any, briefing was given to the passenger by the pilot, pertaining to procedures for exiting the airplane. During an interview, the pilot stated that prior to the flight he had not briefed the passenger on procedures for exiting the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The passenger’s failure to avoid the rotating propeller after exiting the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to include deplaning procedures as part of the passenger safety briefing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/6/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1906
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Frederick
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21701
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 392503N
Event Location Longitude 0772227W
Event Location Airport Frederick Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KFDK
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 303
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1856 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID FDK
Elevation of weather observation facility 303
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24818
NTSB Notification Source Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 19 2008 1:50PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1242C
NTSB Number ERA09CA041
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier SP
Aircraft Serial Number 172S10308
Certified Max Gross Weight 2407
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 28 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 699
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name 210 Centurion Group LCC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Laurel
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20723
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Brett Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Baltimore
Operator State MD
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 21220
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KMTN
Departure City Baltimore
Departure State MD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KFDK
Destination City Frederick
Destination State MD
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 19 2008 1:51PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --