Engine running, nose wheel chocked. Guess what happens next

I remember that accident. I can’t even imagine sending out a pilot to mess with chocks with the engine running. Yes, I thought I had read where the passenger got out without direction, suggestion or guidance, don’t see how that happens.

Whenever something occurs that isn’t a part of normal routine, that itself should set off some ‘red flags’.
 
How is it possible that there are still pilots who don't know the dangers of a running prop? If anyone is getting out of the plane, the prop gets shut down.
 
On my first attempt at the private check ride, I left the oil door on top of the cowling open. Got in, did the preflight passenger briefing, started the plane and about that point noticed the door open. I shut down the engine, got out, closed the door and then got back in and restarted. The DPE just laughed.

I would and will never (at least I can't imagine a circumstance where I would) get out or allow anyone else to get out with the prop turning.
 
jsstevens said:
On my first attempt at the private check ride, I left the oil door on top of the cowling open. Got in, did the preflight passenger briefing, started the plane and about that point noticed the door open. I shut down the engine, got out, closed the door and then got back in and restarted. The DPE just laughed.

I would and will never (at least I can't imagine a circumstance where I would) get out or allow anyone else to get out with the prop turning.
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Last year we had a student leave the oil dipstick on top of the cowl of a 172 and close the door. Taxied to the active and when he went to do the runup the dipstick rattled its way to the base of the windshield and then disappeared into the grass in the slipstream. He still hadn't figured out anything was wrong. It was the instructor in the airplane next to him that observed what was going on and told him to shut down the engine while he radioed the club to bring over the tow.
 
I just installed a radio and was running the engine to check its operation and make sure no vibration was causing any issues with the wires, any loose connections, or interference with the radio. I contemplated getting out to check all the lights and let it run for a while to warm up since I was going to change the oil next. I thought better of it and knew that I could not see that spinning prop and I was likely to do something stupid like walking into it. So I sat tight and waited until the oil temp came up and then shut down.

Oh and when I leave the fuel dipstick on top of the cowl, I usually just pick it up when I taxi back to my parking spot wondering "who left this dipstick on the runway?"
 
sourdough44 said:
Yes, I thought I had read where the passenger got out without direction, suggestion or guidance, don’t see how that happens.
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The human with free will grabs the door latch and gets out?

If that was the case, PIC should have pulled ICO.
 
sourdough44 said:
Yes, I thought I had read where the passenger got out without direction, suggestion or guidance, don’t see how that happens.
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That's what the pilot claimed on the accident report which laid blame on everyone but himself. Hard to believe that's what happened. The time to remove a headset, unfasten a seatbelt, and open a door, is more than enough to stop the person and/or the engine. Nevermind the statement that she went to the right gear leg to check there first and then was on her second attempt to remove the nose chock after missing the first time.
 
I dunno, it can be done. maybe someone a little more handy............
 
I am confident the engine will start again after I shut it off and solve whatever problem should have been taken care of before I started the bloody thing.
 
I have done hot drop-offs before, mostly to allow Mrs. Steingar to get quickly into a cool air-conditioned terminal and not have to ride in a hot airplane to an ambient temperature hangar. The more comfortable I make it for Mrs. Steingar the more likely she'll come with for these little adventures. She has been briefed hard that once she exits the cockpit she is to depart toward the aft side of the aircraft and not approach the aircraft again for any reason whatsoever. If she forgot something she'll be reunited with it. If the airplane is on fire I'll deal with it. She does not approach the airplane at all for any reason. What happened in Key West was unfathomable negligence bordering on assault. A pity what happens in Key West doesn't stay in Key West.
 
jsstevens said:
On my first attempt at the private check ride, I left the oil door on top of the cowling open. Got in, did the preflight passenger briefing, started the plane and about that point noticed the door open. I shut down the engine, got out, closed the door and then got back in and restarted. The DPE just laughed.

I would and will never (at least I can't imagine a circumstance where I would) get out or allow anyone else to get out with the prop turning.
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On my checkride after starting the engine I realized I had left my Foggles inside the building. With agreement from the DPE I got out with the engine running while he held brakes/controls and retrieved them.. But then again the same DPE demonstrated Spins to during the checkride also.
Statute of limitations as well as the examiner have long since expired since these events.

Brian
 
I'm bloody terrified of props. Still have scars on my thumb from a prop strike when I was in junior high, and that was just a little ol' nylon prop on a .35 Enya. Turned the last inch plus of my thumb to hamburger. I don't even like being directly in the plane of rotation. I absolutely will not allow anyone to get in or out with the engine running... period.

So imagine how uncomfortable it is for me to do carb synchronization on the Rotax... fortunately it doesn't take long.
 
eman1200 said:
I dunno, it can be done. maybe someone a little more handy............
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I see what you did there......


Turning props scare me as well. Much easier to shut down a single engine before anyone exits. I will instruct passengers to never go in front of the wing unless I direct them.

But then again, with folks that think they are helping and with sudden unexpected actions the worst can happen.
 
It's actually illegal to exit my aircraft with the engine running. I'd stop the engine even if it weren't.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
How is it "illegal"?
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He said it is illegal to exit "HIS" aircraft with the engine running. He is PIC and says "No", so it is illegal in his aircraft, unless you want to ignore the orders of the Pilot in Command. Although I could not actually find where it states that ignoring an order from the PIC is illegal. Does that actually exist? If a passenger ignores an order from the PIC is it actually illegal?
 
Matthew Rogers said:
He said it is illegal to exit "HIS" aircraft with the engine running. He is PIC and says "No", so it is illegal in his aircraft, unless you want to ignore the orders of the Pilot in Command. Although I could not actually find where it states that ignoring an order from the PIC is illegal. Does that actually exist? If a passenger ignores an order from the PIC is it actually illegal?
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No, it’s actually illegal, regardless of whether he allows it or not.

PIC saying “no” doesn’t make something illegal.
 
So every air show doing a Drunken Farmer routine is illegal? Don’t they often have a plane with the engine running and nobody inside? Like this show -

 
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bflynn said:
How is it possible that there are still pilots who don't know the dangers of a running prop? If anyone is getting out of the plane, the prop gets shut down.
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This, among many m=other useful things, is not taught by CFIs (not required by FAA). Very sad and frustrating.
 
FastEddieB said:
Hence, against the law, hence, not legal, hence illegal.

Perfectly fine way to say it.
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Actually, our local FSDO told us not to use the term "illegal" when speaking of 14 CFR regulations. And I work with 14 CFR part 33 all day, every day. They are regulations, not laws. You won't be arrested for jumping out of the placarded airplane with the engine running.
 
Just because it's not a crime doesn't make it not illegal. FSDO inspectors are not lawyers nor even experts in regulatory matters (especially FAA ones).
 
Isn't POA grand? No matter what the incident, before the end of the 2nd page of discussion, it's devolved into a dick-measuring contest over what the meaning of the word "is" is.
 
MFE said:
Isn't POA grand? No matter what the incident, before the end of the 2nd page of discussion, it's devolved into a dick-measuring contest over what the meaning of the word "is" is.
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I wouldn’t use a two-letter word as a dick measuring device, but that’s just me. :p
 
My prop is nearly always running before I get in. Once in awhile a trustworthy soul will come along and prop it for me.
 
I get out of running aircraft all the time. Just the other day I was working and I had to pee. So I landed in a field by a mesquite tree and watered the ditch. Ya’ll saying you would shut down to pee?
 
There's good reason in the Navion. You enter and exit by going over the leading edge of the wing.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
I get out of running aircraft all the time. Just the other day I was working and I had to pee. So I landed in a field by a mesquite tree and watered the ditch. Ya’ll saying you would shut down to pee?
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Run a separate nozzle.
 
flyingron said:
There's good reason in the Navion. You enter and exit by going over the leading edge of the wing.
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The main reason I would never buy one. But that is just preference. I don't know if the prop v. flesh interactions are statistically different, I just think it is generally dangerous.
 
Arnold said:
The main reason I would never buy one. But that is just preference. I don't know if the prop v. flesh interactions are statistically different, I just think it is generally dangerous.
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That's why you stop the engine. If you want, there's an easy mod to make the Canopy models board from the rear like the later Rangemasters.
 
flyingron said:
That's why you stop the engine. If you want, there's an easy mod to make the Canopy models board from the rear like the later Rangemasters.
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Didn't know about the mod. North American did finance my father's MS degree so I have a very small soft spot in my heart for them. Shortly after that work my dad moved away from helping make weapons and transitioned to bio-medical engineering.
 
Essentially you put a little piece of wing walk over the flap and then cut a stirrup hole in the flap. I think since its on the type certificate, it's not even a major modification to put it on (logbook entry only).
 
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