Texas Plane Victim

You know you're more or less asking folks to violate at least the spirit of privacy laws right?

As for the patient, I'm pretty sure what you posted is the latest news for one of the most bone-headed patients of the year. It takes a really stupid person to walk into a prop.
 
Imacho said:
Does any one know these Medics? Just curious to see if they are on here.

Any further info on the pt?
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I don't think they're on here but like it's stated above, I don't think they'll identify themselves and talk about the patient.

As for further info on here, Google will probably be your best friend. I'm sure there will be stories about her recovery as time moves forward.
 
usafmedic45 said:
... It takes a really stupid person to walk into a prop.
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No, it doesn't. It takes someone that either doesn't KNOW or doesn't care about safety around and in aircraft to do so.

Remember, most flight services post a crewmember to keep others out of the tail rotor - because when it's spinning, it's so fast you can't see it.

I've had enough experience and education that I KNOW these things will kill you. If no one was watching, and no one told her, and she therefore didn't know - it's sad, but not entirely her fault.


And, for those who don't remember, back when ER was actually almost good - Dr. Romano provides us with a lesson in what NOT to do around a tail rotor.
[YOUTUBE]vh-kw3DOIgk[/YOUTUBE]
 
No, it doesn't. It takes someone that either doesn't KNOW or doesn't care about
safety around and in aircraft to do so.
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OK....let me rephrase that then: "It takes either a very stupid person or someone of reasonable intelligence having a temporary lapse of intelligence to walk into the prop of an aircraft."

Remember, most flight services post a crewmember to keep others out of the tail rotor - because when it's spinning, it's so fast you can't see it.
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Yeah, but the noise and rush of air associated with it is a pretty good indication you probably are about to encounter something. You might not notice the blades themselves but if you have supratentorial function, you will know something's going on there. Aircraft props and helicopter tail rotors while similar differ in a couple of ways, especially when it comes to the amount of airflow associated with them when at idle power. Either way, I have a rule: you shut the engines down or I'm not getting out of the aircraft or approaching it. Hopping down off the leading edge of an airplane wing when you know there's a prop out there that is still running (which is exactly what it sounds like this girl did) is a bit like taking a leap into the middle of a busy street. To do so, you have to be either severely lacking in intelligence, suicidal or really oblivious.

I've had enough experience and education that I KNOW these things will kill you. If no one was watching, and no one told her, and she therefore didn't know - it's sad, but not entirely her fault.
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No, but if she would have died, it would have been a heck of a case to send to the Darwin Awards.
 
usafmedic45 said:
You know you're more or less asking folks to violate at least the spirit of privacy laws right?

As for the patient, I'm pretty sure what you posted is the latest news for one of the most bone-headed patients of the year. It takes a really stupid person to walk into a prop.
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I concur with this, it is even more difficult when you not only have to go around the wing strut, but duck under the plane and walk towards the only spinning thing on the aircraft. It was a single engine cessna, it is clearly a case of mental lapse. The worst part is that the pilot is on the hook and being investigated for it.

And as a side note, I do happen to know one of the medics, but haven't talked to him recently.
 
Reduce the prop pitch, approach from the front...oh, snap

People walk over waterfalls every year because it would be so "uh-MAZE-ing" to look over the edge, but Nature was so uncooperative as to leave the edge without a rail, or a flat surface, and all that rushing water...TV tells us it isn't real, it's just all there for US, right?
Jaques Cousteau lost a nephew to a tail rotor, but he slipped.
 
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Jon said:
Remember, most flight services post a crewmember to keep others out of the tail rotor - because when it's spinning, it's so fast you can't see it.

I've had enough experience and education that I KNOW these things will kill you. If no one was watching, and no one told her, and she therefore didn't know - it's sad, but not entirely her fault.
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If it was a tail rotor that might make sense, but it wasn't. Walking into a tail rotor is slightly understandable. Walking into the main prop on a small aircraft is nearly unfathomable unless the prop needs to be manually started.*

* I can not for the life of me remember what this is actually called. I know there is a name for it.
 
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Aidey said:
If it was a tail rotor that might make sense, but it wasn't. Walking into a tail rotor is slightly understandable. Walking into the main prop on a small aircraft is nearly unfathomable unless the prop needs to be manually started.*

* I can not for the life of me remember what this is actually called. I know there is a name for it.
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Hand propping.

Understand it's noise and windy anywhere in the general vicinity of an aircraft with an idling engine. It's not always obvious were the the prop actually is, especially at night.

As a pilot, I rarely allow anyone to approach or exit my aircraft with the prop spinning. It's not worth the risk...shutting down and restarting is not that hard. It's too easy for someone to get distracted and or disoriented, as this poor girl sadly discovered.
 
Aidey said:
If it was a tail rotor that might make sense, but it wasn't. Walking into a tail rotor is slightly understandable. Walking into the main prop on a small aircraft is nearly unfathomable unless the prop needs to be manually started.*

* I can not for the life of me remember what this is actually called. I know there is a name for it.
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Handpropping.

EDIT: Looks like Brad beat me to it. LOL
 
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Thank you! That was really annoying me.

I get that it is noisy and windy, and maybe I've just be blessed with an overabundance of caution, but if you don't know where the big spinning blade is, you should probably stay put until someone shows you were to go.

In re the link, there is something morbidly funny about the fact it is called being ingested.
 
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IS this the Scruggs deal?

Not specifically delineated but one source said she may have walked away from the plane then tried to walk back and thank the pilot from outside the plane. Perhaps she exited the starboard door, walked around in front, then approached the port side from the front, which would have juxtaposed her left arm/head with the prop diameter if she was a little too midships-wise (to her left). Being a very small airfield, apparently, lighting might not have been too good, maybe she couldn't see the prop (well, you can't see the tips as they rotate at speed anyway) and maybe the pilot couldn't see her either. Basic rule is, however, when you lose sight of each other, the pedestrian freezes, and the pilot shuts down if (s)he can't immediately regain sight of the pedestrian, right?
But still, if a proper passenger safety pre-brief had occurred, and the pilot reminded the passenger(s) about debarking when they landed, and she wasn't distracted, she would not have done that.
 
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The "Rocket" Romano clip actually gives a good lesson.

1. When the helo is there, the business need to be over and all attention has to be on safety.
2. NEVER crowd the pad or move around the helo without the pilot waving you in, and ESPECIALLY near the tail.
3. ER paperwork is a killer......
edit: make that "NEVER near the tail".
 
Was a FF/EMT in a rural Maryland county for 4 years or so. Definitely serious business dealing with helicopter landings/loadings etc. Always heard the rumor that the trooper/medics would not hesitate to use force on you if you didn't follow the rules and starting walking toward the tail of the aircraft or other places you didn't belong.

Never did get the chance to fly on one even though they usually picked the smallest FF/EMT at the scene to come with them to Shock Trauma. (5'8", 140):sad:
 
Never did get the chance to fly on one even though they usually picked the smallest FF/EMT at the scene to come with them to Shock Trauma. (5'8", 140)
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Consider yourself lucky then.
 
roninwarrior said:
:)

Always wanted to fly though. Although you do usually end up stuck in the city till somebody picks you up or you find a ride home.
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I guess I was lucky. I just rode home with the MSP helicopter that brought me. It helped that they were based where I was.
 
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