Ann Arbor Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ann Arbor, Michigan 48118
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor exited the airplane with the engine operating in preparation for a student pilot to perform his second solo flight. The flight instructor was struck by the rotating propeller as she walked toward the front of the airplane. The flight instructor stated that the operator's flight instructors would typically exit and walk toward the back of an airplane when they were going to have student pilots perform their solo flights. However, instead of walking toward the rear, she walked toward the front where her car was parked. After the accident, the operator adopted a policy prohibiting anyone from entering or exiting an airplane with the engine operating.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain clearance from the propeller when exiting the airplane. Contributing to the accident were the instructor’s decision not to shut down the engine before exiting the airplane and the operator’s lack of a policy prohibiting any person from entering or exiting an airplane with its engine operating.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Ann Arbor
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48118
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 421323N
Event Location Longitude 0834444W
Event Location Airport Ann Arbor Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ARB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 839
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KARB
Elevation of weather observation facility 839
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.87
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 1
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) 30401
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 29 2012 6:36PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N222UM
NTSB Number CEN11LA368
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier NO SERIES
Aircraft Serial Number 15281063
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 26 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 18014
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name University of Michigan Flyers Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Ann Arbor
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48104
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name University of Michigan Flyers Inc
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Ann Arbor
Operator State MI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 48104
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code ARB
Departure City Ann Arbor
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ARB
Destination City Ann Arbor
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 14 2012 10:57AM
User who most recently changed record galm
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --