Cessna 152 N222UM accident near Ann Arbor, Michigan

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain clearance from the propeller when exiting the airplane. Contributing to the accident were the instructor’s decision not to shut down the engine before exiting the airplane and the operator’s lack of a policy prohibiting any person from entering or exiting an airplane with its engine operating.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor exited the airplane with the engine operating in preparation for a student pilot to perform his second solo flight. The flight instructor was struck by the rotating propeller as she walked toward the front of the airplane. The flight instructor stated that the operator's flight instructors would typically exit and walk toward the back of an airplane when they were going to have student pilots perform their solo flights. However, instead of walking toward the rear, she walked toward the front where her car was parked. After the accident, the operator adopted a policy prohibiting anyone from entering or exiting an airplane with the engine operating.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN11LA368 for the full record.