Community Corner
Propeller Accident at Gillespie Field Kills Lakeside Pilot
The pilot struck his head while "hand-cranking" the propeller of his single-engine Piper Cherokee.
A private pilot was killed today when the spinning propeller of a light plane hit him in the head on a taxiway at Gillespie Field.
The fatal accident at the El Cajon general-aviation airport occurred about 8:30 a.m., apparently as the 41-year-old victim was trying to restart the stalled engine of the blue-and-white Piper Cherokee by hand-cranking the prop, city spokeswoman Monica Zech said.
Medics took the man to Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, where he was pronounced dead. His name was withheld pending family notification.
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The 38-year-old plane is registered to a Lakeside resident, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA, National Transportation Safety Board and Occupational Safety and Health Administration were called in to investigate the accident.
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-Cty News Service
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