A female skydiver and photographer died in gruesome freak accident after backing into a propeller while taking pictures at an airfield in Kansas.
The woman, identified on GoFundMe as 37-year-old Amanda Gallagher, was killed on Cook Airfield in Derby on Saturday according to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.
She had been snapping pictures of people getting on and off planes at the Air Capital Drop Zone when she backed into an active propeller, per ABC affiliate KAKE.
No situational awareness. Caught up 'in the moment'. That's how a lot of accidents happen. We've all done it; some of us survive it (not by virtue, just accidentally).
ReplyDeleteWasn't her first time around planes either.
ReplyDeleteAnd propellers are NOT quiet. Between the wind noise and the engine noise, it is pretty obvious when you are near one. (I own a plane, so I am around mine and others a LOT)
Took a class from Mas Ayoob where he said - we people who handle guns a lot, up our odds of having a negligent discharge just because of how much more we handle them. It's not a matter of if, but of when. That's also why it's so important to follow and live the safe handling rules, so that when you fail to follow one of them, the others will prevent the tragedy.
DeleteSame concept applies with many other activities - the more you do the potentially dangerous thing - the higher your odds for a bad outcome. The way to prevent the bad outcome is to ingrain to unconscious habit the safety procedures so that when the 'to error is human' factor makes its presence known, the overlapping procedures prevent excessive tragedy.
I don't know enough about flight line safety procedures to comment on what if any were violated here - but I do know when we brought medical helos onto the hospital landing pad - we had one person in charge of directing all personnel movements within the zone. At least one person who's entire job was to keep situational awareness of the people and the moving rotors.
So true. I've had 2 negligent discharges in life of handling guns and in both cases the gun was pointed in a safe direction. The rules back each other up.
DeleteWhat is with all the GoFundMe for funeral expenses?
ReplyDeleteDon't people plan ahead for anything?
They've spent all their funeral money on bread, milk, eggs and meat these past 4 years.
DeleteA young mother I knew was killed in a skydiving accident when the rear plane in a 2 aircraft drop formation got out of position. She was in the front aircraft and went through the prop or the rear plane when she jumped. Another diver in the formation flew over and pulled the D ring on what was left of her. There is a database that tracks skydive deaths and when I checked it that Monday she wasn't even the most recent death. Sorry if it hurts feelings but I look at skydive operations as a bunch of wannabe's who don't actually belong anywhere around aircraft operations.
ReplyDeleteDis-assed-her!!!
ReplyDeleteA mandate coming soon by a federal government agency: For the safety of the public protective cages must be installed around propellers on all planes. It has proven to work for household fans so it'll work for Cessnas and Pipers.
ReplyDeleteShe will be mist.
ReplyDeleteJesus Mary and Joseph, We're all going to hell. Good one.
DeleteOh fuck. I just pissed myself I laughed so hard.
DeleteWas
DeleteNow that, right there, is funny, Joe!
ReplyDeleteThese comments are killer!
ReplyDeleteUn-serious woman dies un-serious death pursuing DEADLY serious hobby. I bet the bitch petted buffalo, too...
ReplyDeleteBison, you cretin.
DeleteWhy do women skydivers wear tampons when they jump?
DeleteIf they didn't, they would whistle on the way down.
Neck
Anyone think to prop her up for photos?
ReplyDeleteThere was a freak accident in my county a while back. A helicopter medic with 15 years' experience somehow walked into the tail rotor.
ReplyDeleteJust one little mistake...
Don't know much about plans but isn't there a rule about getting out of the plane when the engine is running? I know that when boating no one is in the water with the engine running. Seems like an easy way to prevent things like that.
ReplyDeleteIs there a vid of her getting splattered? ... For educational purposes.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to be educated is to go to the local airport and walk into one yourself while taking notes at every step. Send us a full report afterwards. Send video if you like.
DeleteAmanda was SAD*; she died.
ReplyDeleteMost skydivers know ZERO about aviation. For several years I flew at an airport that was also a drop zone, so learned that first hand.
Did a tandem jump for my 65th birthday. My tandem instructor had no idea how to read the wind. He claimed the wind was doing one thing when I could see something completely different. I pointed it out to him as we set up our landing. We talked about it afterwards. He truly had no idea.
*Situational Awareness Deficient
I flew through jumpers once. The jump pilot completely missed on the wind. I was upwind of the DZ by two miles. I was monitoring the jump freq. That pilot also failed to make his two minute call. He got big heap trouble with the FAA.
ReplyDeleteTwo jumpers at my 11 o'clock. Just as I was gonna turn right, another, and another, and three more jumpers on my right. I can still see it now after twenty-three years. I can still feel the thought I had if I had hit one.
When I went off to the Air Force in '68, my folks told me; Stay away from props and second lieutenants. That advice has served me well my whole life.
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