Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to ensure adequate clearance from the spinning propeller while traversing the area between the leading edge of the wing and the nose of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the decision to leave the cockpits of the airplanes unattended while the engines were idling and gear was being loaded on board.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The accident airplane and three other airplanes were parked in a slightly staggered line and were being prepared for a cross-country group instructional flight. To stave off swarms of mosquitos while loading the airplanes, the engines of all four airplanes were started and allowed to operate at idle with the cockpits unattended. While the pilot was loading gear onto the right side of the accident airplane, the unoccupied airplane to the left of the accident airplane began slowly moving forward. The pilot attempted to go around the front of the accident airplane toward the left wing, likely to avoid the propeller of the moving airplane. Subsequently, the pilot was struck three times by the back of the accident airplane's spinning propeller.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 4, 2015, about 1100 Alaska daylight time, the pilot-in-command of N985W, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, was struck by the spinning propeller while attempting to load the airplane, 15 miles east of McCarthy, Alaska. The airplane sustained minor damage and the certificated airline transport pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to Hunter Creek, LLC, and operated by Alaska Cub Training Specialists, Palmer, Alaska, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. In statements provided to the United States Park Service and National Transportation Safety Board, witnesses stated that four airplanes, flying as a group, had landed at Pevine Bar Airstrip in the Wrangell - St. Elias National Park. To stave off swarms of mosquitos while loading the airplanes, the engines of all four airplanes were started and allowed to operate at idle, with the cockpits unattended. While loading gear on the right side of the airplane, the unoccupied airplane to the left of the accident airplane, also a Piper, PA-18, began slowly moving forward. The pilot of N985W attempted to go around the front of his airplane towards the left wing. Subsequently, the pilot made contact with the back of the spinning propeller, and was struck three times. During an examination of the airplanes by the NTSB investigator-in-charge on August 3, 2015, paint transfers were noted on both airplanes. The left wingtip of N985W (yellow in color) had two areas of scraped fabric about 1 inch in length. The top of the left wing was abraded with chordwise striations about 13 1/2 inches inboard from the left wingtip about 9 inches long and .75 inches wide. The other airplane (black in color) had chordwise, yellow paint transfer on the bottom of the right wing leading edge; about 13.5 inches outboard of the outboard tie down ring. The closest weather reporting facility is Gulkana Airport, Gulkana, Alaska, 95 miles from the accident site. At 1053, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) from the Gulkana Airport was reporting in part: wind from 040 degrees at 7 knots; sky condition, clear; visibility, 10 statute miles; temperature 52 degrees F; dew point 36 degrees F; altimeter 29.39 inHg.