A DHC8 PIC is commanded to shut his engines down by the marshaller when the gate agent tug driver inadvertently walks into the tips of the propeller at yum, az.

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Attributes
ACN	485109
Time
Date	200009
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yum.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	485109
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters : person non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

After engines were started, I gave the signal to disconnect the power cart and pull chocks. At that moment, I saw the agent disconnect power then walk around the nose of the aircraft to the right. At this time, I heard a 'thump' sound. I saw the marshaller signal to shut down the airplane. I did so immediately. The engines were shut down using normal procedures. After being notified of the incident that the agent walked into the propeller on the right side, I commanded for the passenger to be deplaned. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain stated that the gate agent was performing the function of tug driver as well. After the power cart disconnect, she noticed a service door open towards the right rear of the aircraft and went in between the right engine and the fuselage. She was very fortunate in that the propeller grazed her head, knocking her unconscious. An ambulance arrived on the scene within 5 mins. It took 12 stitches to close the wound. Captain said she was only with the company for about 2 weeks, was young and probably inexperienced. Her present status wasn't known.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC8 PIC IS COMMANDED TO SHUT HIS ENGS DOWN BY THE MARSHALLER WHEN THE GATE AGENT TUG DRIVER INADVERTENTLY WALKS INTO THE TIPS OF THE PROP AT YUM, AZ.

Narrative: AFTER ENGS WERE STARTED, I GAVE THE SIGNAL TO DISCONNECT THE PWR CART AND PULL CHOCKS. AT THAT MOMENT, I SAW THE AGENT DISCONNECT PWR THEN WALK AROUND THE NOSE OF THE ACFT TO THE R. AT THIS TIME, I HEARD A 'THUMP' SOUND. I SAW THE MARSHALLER SIGNAL TO SHUT DOWN THE AIRPLANE. I DID SO IMMEDIATELY. THE ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN USING NORMAL PROCS. AFTER BEING NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT THAT THE AGENT WALKED INTO THE PROP ON THE R SIDE, I COMMANDED FOR THE PAX TO BE DEPLANED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT STATED THAT THE GATE AGENT WAS PERFORMING THE FUNCTION OF TUG DRIVER AS WELL. AFTER THE PWR CART DISCONNECT, SHE NOTICED A SVC DOOR OPEN TOWARDS THE R REAR OF THE ACFT AND WENT IN BTWN THE R ENG AND THE FUSELAGE. SHE WAS VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT THE PROP GRAZED HER HEAD, KNOCKING HER UNCONSCIOUS. AN AMBULANCE ARRIVED ON THE SCENE WITHIN 5 MINS. IT TOOK 12 STITCHES TO CLOSE THE WOUND. CAPT SAID SHE WAS ONLY WITH THE COMPANY FOR ABOUT 2 WKS, WAS YOUNG AND PROBABLY INEXPERIENCED. HER PRESENT STATUS WASN'T KNOWN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.