Read the article. If she was not a pasenger then she must have been treaspassing. Where was TSA when this was going on. Sue them.

Tim

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=8953

Tragic event no matter how you slice it, and I certainly empathize with the girl. Her career was ended in a split second, and luckily she's not pushing up daisies.

I have a hard time blaming anyone but the pilot, but it sounds like the account of events is a little muddy.

Zane wrote: Tragic event no matter how you slice it,

Tim

Way to cut to the chase Zane.

Airplanes are dangerous.

CW

It's a bloody shame your joking about this.

didnn't she run back to get her purse or something... I seem to remember she left the plane and then ran back to get something after her ride...

we had one here at Gillespie a couple months ago.... Pilot couldn't start his cherokee... got out and tried to hand prop it and got hit... he died....

iceman wrote:we had one here at Gillespie a couple months ago.... Pilot couldn't start his cherokee... got out and tried to hand prop it and got hit... he died....

Just watch... his estate will sue Piper..... and win..

When this story first broke, I feared the pilot was a fellow who worked for me years ago since I knew he gave Christmas light sightseeing tours out of Aerocountry. Not him, fortunately. It seems like the details are still sketchy. If the accident happened when she was exiting the airplane, I blame the pilot for not shutting it down or having a ground based assistant to marshal passengers away from the business end of the airplane safely - sue away. On the other hand, if she safely left the immediate vicinity of the airplane and then returned, while tragic, the "blame" falls squarely on her shoulders. She voluntarily entered an aircraft operations area. The pilot had every reason to have his engine running in such an area and should have no liability for the accident. Like I said, the details are still sketchy, probably because lawsuits were contemplated by both sides from day one. Maybe the facts will come out in court. Either way, another black eye for general aviation.

By the way, Areocountry is a residential airpark - no TSA (at least for now).

Best,
O-2

faa found no fault of the pilot but news story this morning on local tv said he probably should have shut down sooner...Duh...reporters said she probably couldn't hear his warning to stay away from the prop cause of the "roar" of the engine... then they promptly showed a twin Turbo Prop at full throttle...another Duh or should I say DOH! love those tv newsies don't ya...

iceman wrote:we had one here at Gillespie a couple months ago.... Pilot couldn't start his cherokee... got out and tried to hand prop it and got hit... he died....

I witnessed one of these many years ago at Scappose. The guy got out to hand prop, left an 80 something Y/O friend inside, and the airplane started up at full throttle and headed across the ramp and into the trees. The old guy was killed, the pilot prop swinger was not struck by the prop but was run over by the right main gear. A comanche 180. About 2000 AD. This was one of two deaths I have watched from start to finish. The other was a short takeoff contest and a J-3. Stall spin. The pilot survived, cushioned by the body of his fiancee who was in the front seat. Watsonville antique flyin and airshow about 89?

Airplanes aren't dangerous. People are dangerous.

Saw one years ago. Guy gets out of a Turbo Commander at Bader field in Atlantic City, NJ and makes a left right into the spinning prop. WTF. On a related note, a friend of mine who flew for the airlines back in the days of Constellations and DC 6/7s watched a stewardess commit suicide by deliberately walking into a propeller. Knew it was deliberate because the first time she passed right between the spinning blades and came out the other side untouched. So, she turned around and went back the way she came. Second time was the charm. If it were me (not that I ever had a hankering to do such a thing) I think I'd figure the universe had a greater purpose in store for me after that propeller missed me completely.

Best,
O-2

Don't load and unload passengers with the engine running....if anyone starts walking toward your aircraft shut it down.

Amazed at how insensitive some of you are! Did you even read the article? She filed a lawsuit because as usual the insurance company is trying to take the cheap way out. IMO she shouldn't be considered a passenger at the time the accident occurred and probably deserves to be compensated accordingly. She made a mistake, no doubt, but this is why we have insurance.

Chris

skywagon wrote:Amazed at how insensitive some of you are! Did you even read the article? She filed a lawsuit because as usual the insurance company is trying to take the cheap way out. IMO she shouldn't be considered a passenger at the time the accident occurred and probably deserves to be compensated accordingly. She made a mistake, no doubt, but this is why we have insurance.

Chris

I read it.... Didn't she have a personal health insurance policy ?

Why sue and get a settlement from the pilot, who the family said was not responsible ?

There was a show on just last week detailing her career and it said she pulled in over a million for the last few years.. That should have bought her a REAL nice personal health policy.....

Maybe the insurance guy from Tenn can chime in on why the pilot/ his insurance, got hit with the settlement

I'm pretty insensitive I guess. All through our lives we make choices. Thousands of them. We've become a society that believes that our bad choices should be paid for by others. I wonder Chris, had she been killed do you think there should have been a payment to her family?

I think there was a story some years ago about some young people that had snuck into a municipal zoo after hours and one of them got himself mauled by a lion (or a tiger or a bear; I don't recall). I think in that one the city was held responsible and had to pay. "Hey fellers, watch me punch the lights out on this bear!"

According to the NTSB report of this accident, the pilot was not held responsible and had warned the young lady to walk away from the airplane. They also noted that he may well have been advised to shut down the engine sooner. Still, she was at fault, the payout was in my opinion an act of good faith by the insurance company. Not an attempt to weasel out of a wrongful injury.

Most of the comments here have been in favor of chewing out the pilot.

EB

There is risk in taking a passenger on a flight. There is risk in being a passenger on someone elses flight. There is risk in buying insurance. There is risk in not buying insurance. There is risk in driving your car. There is risk in getting out of bed in the morning.....I could go on. What is always interesting to me is how so many are willing to assume the risk everyday but are equally quick to do everything possible to avoid the responsibility of the assumed risk. I'm not making a judgement merely an observation from the grand stands where it's always easier. I hope the best for all involved. There are no winners in a situation like this, only losers.

CW

Emory Bored wrote:
Airplanes aren't dangerous. People are dangerous.

Do you have a way of explaining that one to the media and people like my step mom?? If you do and your successful, your my hero!!

any golfers on this forum?? Wasn't Scruggs one of the ladies accused of having an affair with a certain famous golfer?