Pilot fatally struck by moving propeller he tried to manually restart after plane stalled

  • Disaster at Gillespie Field airport in San Diego, California, on Monday
  • Pilot was trying to hand crank propeller after Piper Cherokee stalled
  • Struck him in head; he was taken to hospital and died four hours later

A pilot died today after being struck in the head by the moving propeller of a single-engine plane.

The horrific accident happened at 8:30am on Monday at the Gillespie Field airport in San Diego, California, while the victim was trying to restart the plane after it stalled, witnesses said.

Two pilots were on board when the Piper Cherokee was taxiing out to the runway when the engine stalled and one of them got out to hand crank the propeller. But it struck him in the head.

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Tragic: The accident happened while the victim was trying to hand crank the propeller, witnesses said

Tragic: The accident happened while the victim was trying to hand crank the propeller, witnesses said

Overhead: The blue and white Piper Cherokee PA-28R-200 four-seat fixed-wing plane was built in 1974 and is registered to a man in nearby Lakeside, California, according to official records

Overhead: The blue and white Piper Cherokee PA-28R-200 four-seat fixed-wing plane was built in 1974 and is registered to a man in nearby Lakeside, California, according to official records

Signs of the chaos of the moment were left scattered on the tarmac after the accident

Signs of the chaos of the moment were left scattered on the tarmac after the accident

The struck pilot was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital for treatment of critical injuries after the incident. He died there at 1pm. Flight safety authorities are now investigating what happened.

The blue and white Piper Cherokee PA-28R-200 four-seat fixed-wing plane was built in 1974 and is registered to a man in nearby Lakeside, California, according to official records.

It comes after model and fashion blogger Lauren Scruggs, 23, walked in front of a plane at Aero County Airport in McKinney, Texas, last month and lost her left hand and left eye in the incident.

Her mother Cheryl said last week that although her daughter's pain is reduced 'when she is moving about and distracted', when she tries to sleep, 'it comes - and it comes ferociously at times'.

Probe: The pilot was taken to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries after the incident and authorities are investigating what happened

Probe: The pilot was taken to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries after the incident and authorities are investigating what happened

Scene: The horrific incident took place at the Gillespie Field airport in San Diego, California (file picture)

Scene: The horrific incident took place at the Gillespie Field airport in San Diego, California (file picture)

Gillespie Field was constructed by the government in 1942 during World War Two to be used for training Marine Corps parachutists and it was originally named Camp Gillespie.

This was in honour of Marine Lieutenant Archibald H. Gillespie, who was renowned for his efforts in the 1840s war between the U.S. and Mexico. The airport was leased to San Diego County in 1947.

It became a general aviation airport and then the county owned it from 1953, when it was used mostly for privately-owned aircraft and by flight schools.

Now the airport holds one terminal, two industrial parks, three museums, a restaurant, maintenance shops and various flight schools, according to a San Diego County newsletter.

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