Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to remove the wheel chocks before engine start which resulted in the inadvertent contact with the propeller while the engine was running.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot stated that after he started the airplane engine, he realized that the wheel chocks were still in place on the nose landing gear tire. He set the parking brake and exited the airplane with the engine still running. As the pilot removed the chocks, they inadvertently hit the propeller and pulled his arm into the propeller arc. The pilot sustained a serious injury to his right arm. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained minor damage to the propeller.