The pilot told investigators that after he started the Beech F33A’s engine at the airport in Tahlequa, Oklahoma, 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 he 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 airplane sustained minor damage to the propeller.
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.
NTSB Identification: 174540
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This May 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
