Investigation Summary
The accident occurred at approximately 06:20 local time while Britt Airways Flight 3894, operating as Continental Express, was preparing for departure. The aircraft, an ATR-42-320, was stationary on the ramp with the right engine operating. An off duty employee, who was intended to be a non revenue passenger on the flight, was assisting the station agent with pre-departure tasks. During these activities, the employee moved into the path of the rotating right propeller. The investigation noted that the accident took place in night conditions, and the employee's attention was diverted, leading to a failure to follow established safety procedures regarding proximity to operating engines.
Final Conclusions
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause to be the employee's failure to follow proper procedures and the diversion of her attention, which resulted in her being struck by a spinning propeller. The NTSB finalized the investigation with the release of the Final Report on April 8, 1993.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
30-year-old male with 6,200 hours as Pilot in Command.
Systems & Failure Modes
Propeller
The aircraft was equipped with two Pratt & Whitney PW121 turboprop engines; the right propeller was spinning at the time of the accident.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident occurred during the hours of darkness.
- 02The aircraft sustained only minor damage.
- 03The right engine was operating while the aircraft was standing on the ramp.
- 04The victim was an off duty, non revenue passenger assisting with ground operations.
- 05The flight crew was unaware of the person's location on the right side of the aircraft prior to the impact.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Ground Safety Procedures Reinforcement
The investigation emphasized the necessity for ground personnel and non-revenue passengers to strictly adhere to established safety procedures regarding proximity to operating engines, particularly during night operations where visibility and depth perception are reduced.