Wsk Pzl WILGA 80 N7080B
11 July 1994 · Churchville, Maryland, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 11 July 1994 at about 16:00 local time, a Wsk Pzl WILGA 80 registered N7080B, operated by JAY N. Gathmann, was involved in an accident near Churchville, Maryland, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 16:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Churchville, Maryland, United States
- Nearest airport
- Hanford County (0W3)
- Coordinates
- 39.5608, -76.2398
- Aircraft
- Wsk Pzl WILGA 80
- Registration
- N7080B
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- JAY N. Gathmann
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Not recorded
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC94LA117
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
IMPROPER STARTING PROCEDURE BY THE PILOT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO HAND PROP A 260 HORSE POWER RADIAL ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS NORMALLY STARTED WITH COMPRESSED AIR; HOWEVER, THE AIR RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. THE IGNITION SYSTEM USED A 'SHOWER OF SPARKS' SYSTEM. ANOTHER PILOT SAT IN A PILOT SEAT TO HOLD THE BRAKES. THE ENGINE WAS PRIMED AND THE MAGNETO SWITCH TURNED ON. THE PILOT PULLED THE PROPELLER BLADE AND ONE CYLINDER FIRED. HIS HEAD WAS WITHIN THE ARC OF THE ROTATING PROPELLER BLADES AND HE WAS STRUCK BY A BLADE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Oakland, Maryland, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 1994 | Beechcraft C35 | Rockville, Maryland, United States | William R Canda | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Apr 1994 | Beechcraft B24R | College Park, Maryland, United States | Fort Bragg Flying Activity | Fatal | 4 |
| 28 May 1994 | Cessna A150L | Leonardtown, Maryland, United States | Steven J. Bildman | No injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 1994 | Beechcraft A36 | Barstow, Maryland, United States | Thompson, William A. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Jan 1994 | Robinson R-22A | Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States | Montgomery Aviation | No injuries | - |