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BFO89LA018

1989-02-25 · FORT WASHINGTON, Maryland, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport PGC

Current FAA registration · N8359L

Make / Model
CESSNA 172I
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AB6E8B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PASSENGER FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE PROPELLER AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. BOTH THE PILOT FAILURE TO SUPERVISE THE BOARDING OF THE PASSENGER AND THE NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT.

Factual narrative

THE ACFT WAS STOPPED ON THE RAMP WITH THE PLT ABOARD. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE PAX CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE ACFT AND WALKED TOWARD THE RIGHT DOOR TO BOARD THE ACFT. WHEN SHE PASSED THE PROP SHE WAS STRUCK BY IT. THE EXTENT OF HER INJURIES WERE NOT REALIZED UNTIL SHE BOARDED SINCE ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE PAX SAID SHE WAS JUST GRAZED BY THE PROP. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_BFO89LA018.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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