Atwater/Castle Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atwater, California 95301
Saturday, November 15, 2008 17:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

At the completion of the final leg of a cross-country flight, the two student pilots taxied the airplane toward the ramp. Prior to reaching the parking area, the student pilot seated in the right seat, concerned about being seen by flight school personnel, instructed the other student pilot to taxi the airplane to the designated parking area, where he would exit the airplane. The student pilot seated in the left seat reported that after the student pilot seated in the right seat exited the airplane, he ran toward the front of the airplane and was struck by the turning propeller.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The second pilot's failure to see and avoid the rotating propeller after exiting the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Atwater
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95301
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 372249N
Event Location Longitude 1203405W
Event Location Airport Atwater/Castle
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KMER
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 189
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1745 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KMER
Elevation of weather observation facility 191
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KMER 160145Z 00000KT 6SM HZ SKC 17/10 A3010
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25787
NTSB Notification Source LAX FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2009 5:51PM
User who most recently changed record ricj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N45994
NTSB Number WPR09LA040
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Serial Number 15282979
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 17 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 95
Airframe Hours 9695
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name KS AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 550 AIRWAY BLVD
Aircraft Owner City LIVERMORE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94551-9533
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Sierra Academy
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Atwater
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 95340
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KVIS
Departure City Visalia
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KMER
Destination City Atwater
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 4 2009 6:38PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 11802
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --