NTSB Factual Report

On November 14, 2003, about 1930 Pacific standard time, a passenger sustained serious injuries after walking into a moving propeller while disembarking from an OMF OMF-100-160 airplane, N290MF, at Van Nuys Airport (VNY), Van Nuys, California. Alliance International was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot was not injured, the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained minor damage. The flight departed Chino Airport (CNO), Chino, California, at 1730. Night visual metrological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

In a phone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) on November 20, the operator reported that he was not informed of the accident. The operator discovered a nick on the propeller the day following the accident and could not determine its origination. He stated that the pilot of the airplane began his training at Alliance International, but then changed schools to finish his certificate. After the pilot received his private pilot certificate, he returned to Alliance International as a renter pilot and went through an extensive flight check.

The passenger was interviewed via telephone by the IIC on December 2, 2003. She reported that after getting out of the airplane, she walked to the front. Initially, she did not realize what happened. Then she saw the injury. She ran to the pilot and told him. Then, she ran toward the police and soon after, went into shock. The passenger was not briefed on exiting procedures for the airplane. This was the passenger's first flight in a small airplane.

The pilot of the airplane submitted NTSB Form 6120.1/2 but did not provide a statement. On November 16, the pilot left a phone message with the IIC indicating that after arrival at Van Nuys, he shut the airplane down. He walked inside a building and his passenger departed for her car. He came back, started the airplane, and then heard screaming. The pilot then shut the airplane down and assisted his passenger.

The pilot later submitted a written statement after a request was made by the IIC. He stated that he picked up his passenger at Van Nuys. They flew to Camarillo Airport and returned to Van Nuys around 1930. He shutdown the airplane and he and the passenger disembarked. He accompanied his passenger to her car and then went inside to use the restroom. The pilot then restarted the airplane and heard a loud noise. He immediately "cut the mixture and shut the magnetos and went out to see what happened." He found his passenger asking for help and her hand was bleeding. He did not know why she returned to the airplane at the time, but found out later that she had left her hat in the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to either brief the passenger about disembarking from an airplane with the propeller running or to shutdown the engine during the passenger's disembarkation. The night lighting condition and the passenger's lack of familiarity with airplanes were factors.