Backcountry Pilot

[Littlecub offline]

Model Lauren Scruggs, 23, Walks into Plane Propeller, Loses Hand


December 5, 2011 3:59 PM EST

Fashion model and online blogger Lauren Scruggs lost her hand and suffered severe injuries to her face and shoulder after she accidentally walked into a spinning airplane propeller late Saturday.

Scruggs was returning from a flight to watch Christmas lights across the state when she climbed out of the two-seater plane at Aero County Airport in McKinney, Texas.
The 23-year old was immediately taken by Careflight helicopter to Parkland Hospital.

Following multiple surgeries, Scruggs' face and shoulder have been reconstructed, but surgeons were forced to amputate her hand. Although she is in stable condition, her left eye and part of her brain remain in uncertain condition.

Updates posted by a family statement on Caring Bridge indicate that she has responded well to voice commands and seems capable of moving her arms and legs. She had further surgery on her hand Monday to avoid infection.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, but the pilot, Kurt Richmond of Frisco, was not injured said the Collin County Sheriff's Office.


"These [propellers] aren't going to break if they hit you," Blackman told FOX 4 News. "It most likely is going to kill you if you get too close... If the engine is running at speed it will suck you into it, just like a jet engine will suck you into it."

Scruggs is the Editor-in-Chief for an online fashion magazine, Lolo Magazine. She has worked as a part-time model and in the wardrobe department of the CW television Show, Gossip Girl. She recently interviewed Twilight star Kellan Lutz for New York Fashion Week.

[AndrewK offline]

This is the airport I base at. I wasn't out there this weekend so the first I heard about it was this morning from a co-worker asking if I knew anything about it. Someone said the plane was a Husky but that is all I know. Sad situation for all.

[qmdv offline]

I make a habit of not letting anybody out of the plane tell engine has stoped. I somtimes have to stop and open a gate at my place so I walk well outside the prop arc.

Tim

[Stol offline]

Sounds like life changing injuries for sure....... Cute girl too..... http://www.people.com/people/article/0, ... 97,00.html

[172heavy offline]

I have been around rotating equipment most of my life, the only one that I have had a nightmare about was being hit by a spinning prop, I think that if airplanes had sexual organs they would be in the propeller, if the hit you your F%$KED. A truly sad story, our best wishes and prayers go out to her and her family.

[littlewheelinback offline]

I never board or drop off passengers with the engine running. If anyone even looks like they are going to approach the aircraft I shut it down. I read a story of a man dropping his daughter off and having her run back to get something, step into the prop and die. I swore that would never be me.

[Zzz]

That is really a sad deal. Please brief your passengers and friends whenever people might be around your running aircraft. I have nightmares about this very thing, and sometimes remind even my experienced pilot friends. Split second brain fart is all it takes. I've walked into spinning ceiling fans more than twice, so I don't put it past myself. Of course I'm usually naked and impaired beforehand. Poor girl. Lucky she's alive. Dang.

[OregonMaule offline]

We live on a small farm. I was taught from a young age, equipment has no feelings it will simply kill you if you do the wrong thing around it.

When you got kids working around equipment and motorized toys it makes us parents worry. Be safe!

Good day

[GumpAir offline]

Whole lotta years, and a whole lotta nightmares about native kids (or drunks, dogs, old people... whatever) running in front of an airplane I was driving onto a ramp, and stepping into the props. I stayed paranoid from day one until my last flight up there.

By far the biggest reason I saw commercial pilots fired from jobs in Alaska. Was taxiing into stuff on the ramps. Usually 55 gal drums or pallets of bypass, and eating a prop. Dumb, just dumb.

Gump

[skywagon offline]

Andrew K, I'm out of Aero-Country too. I don't know Lauren, but do know some of the people that were involved. Lauren was seriously injured and is starting a long recovery. Here is a link to follow her progress: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/laurenscruggs

Keep praying for her and her family.

Chris

[RWM offline]

Very sad for the young lady, her family, and the pilot. That will forever be on his conscience, too.

This is probably the worst fear I have relating to airplanes. Much scarier to me than an in flight emergency...at least in the air you have a chance to do what you have been trained, a chance to make the best outcome in a dire situation. Someone moving toward a spinning prop that you can't stop soon enough....absolute nightmare. I think about it a lot, but this has served as a reality check for me. My wife and two little ones (boy 4, girl 2) regularly fly with me, especially my son.

After reading this thread I actually went and talked about it again with my wife. She was probably thinking "Where did that come from?" But I bet she will think about it next time we're around the plane.

[jjbaker offline]

Very cool thread.

Four own experiences come to mind.

One while dropping meatbombs with running reloads to save money. Don't remember how many times we got yelled at for shutting down when people stepped out of line on the way from or to the airplane. It's important to have guides who brief pax each and every time and keep the pack under control.

One with a child running towards the airplane as I was taxiing in from a sightseeing flight. Grandma was right after him, but he was faster... Saw it early enough and probably never killed an engine so quickly.

One with a dog, charging the airplane during takeoff run. Funny thing was that the dog was going after the plane at an intercept angle that would have ended in sad people.

Last one was my grandfather walking up to our 172 during wintertime to handprop the plane. He wore thick leather gloves. A nick in the prop pulled the glove smack of his hand and all I got to see was something that looked like a hand flying up, when the engine started. He always joked about how many people he had taught to safely handprop airplanes for decades, and how he could have lost his hand or arm during that dumb exercise.

Sad thing is, it really always cooks down to the pilot. I'll gladly pay for a battery, or crank the engine until the starter smokes off to avoid a prop incident.
Props are dangerous even when they stand still because people can walk smack into the blade.

[TomKatz offline]

Being a helicopter pilot before a fixed wing, I have seen photos and have been warned of the dangers of spinning tail rotor and also landing in a sloped LZ's, where the troops exit the helicopter then run up the slope into the main rotor. I heard many stories of Kevlar helmets knocking troopers to the ground, but saving their lives.

I too do not let passengers exit until the prop is stopped.

This iterribleable tragedy and puts our troops who have lost limbs in perspective as well. I wish them all well and may god continue to give them strength.

[Zzz]

Remember that the quickest way to kill an engine is with the mags. We always shut down using fuel starvation, but in a situation where a little kid is running toward the plane, kill the ignition.

[OscarDeuce offline]

I'm pretty sure I know the pilot. If so, there must be more to the story. I am not blaming the victim - there's absolutely no reason a non-flying passenger would know. It's just that I've flown many hours with the gentleman I'm thinking of and used to let him fly my airplanes. He's got his head screwed on right. Then again, a lot of us do unexpected bone headed things from time to time. I hope there's more to the story than just letting someone out of the sirplane with the engine running.

Best,
O-2

[TomKatz offline]

I believe Fox News said that it was at night and that she may have gone back to the plane to thank the pilot. Very bad all the way around!

[courierguy offline]

This makes two incidents involving Husky's in the last few days. The other one I posted about: the trapped hunter (for 31 frigging hours) underneath the overturned ATV who finally got found by a Husky pilot (pretty sure, there was a Husky involved I know) at a few minutes before 5 PM, that's getting real close to dark nowadays. No exaggeration, the low flying pilot saved the hunters life. Too damn bad the story didn't get picked up by the national media, it would have been great small airplane PR. I feel for the Aviat plant over in Afton: first that great news of one "their's", then this prop thing.

So, does the passenger exit a Husky behind the lift struts (I'm guessing so)? She must have gotten clear and then came back around?? I'd put it 75% on the poor pilot and 25% on her, of course the lawyers will blame the plane and prop manufacturers.

[chance offline]

She is lucky to be alive if she can do as well as "Gabby" in recovering.
Maybe this thread should be bumped on a regular basis.
Chance

[180Marty offline]

that she may have gone back to the plane to thank the pilot

I heard that on the Today Show this morning also.

[qmdv offline]

From a news story:

"It sounds like this is a combination of a bad procedure by the pilot and the passenger not properly realizing her proximity," Nance said. "One of the things I'd have to look at is why in the world a pilot permitted a passenger to board or deboard while a propeller was turning."

I even feel uneasy when a fellow pilot with over 500 hrs exits my plane. I see no reason to let a non pilot exit a plane with the prop turning. No matter what kind of instructions are given, you have to do as we used to say in the navy "Make it sailor proof"

Tim