During launch assistance, the pilot's husband got his fingers caught in the spinning propeller while helping inflate the wing. Three fingers (pinky, ring, middle) on left hand were nearly completely severed. Pilot flew off unaware while friends provided aid. Victim taken to hospital for surgery to reattach fingers.
High — very likely identified
A husband was helping his pilot wife launch by pulling her to help get the wing inflated. As the wing tipped slightly during the launch attempt, he tried to fix it but got too close to the spinning propeller. The prop nearly completely severed the pinky, ring and middle fingers on his left hand - only skin was holding them on. The pilot flew off successfully, unaware of what had happened, while friends attended to the injured helper. He was transported to Flagler Hospital where surgery was scheduled to reattach the fingers.
Helper got too close to spinning propeller while assisting with wing inflation and correction during launch. The wing tipped slightly and in attempting to fix it, the helper's fingers entered the prop arc.
Not installed
Pinky, ring and middle fingers on left hand nearly completely severed, with only skin holding them on. Required surgery to reattach fingers.
January 1, 2006
United States
Footlaunch
Return to the incident list: Incident List Body Contact with Spinning Prop PPG Type: Type of Injury: Pilot Details Age: 0 Weight: 0 Gender: Highest rating held at the time of the incident: Pilot experience level: Gear Details Wing Brand: Model: Unknown Size: Paramotor Frame: Unknow with Incident Details January 1, 2006 Location of the incident: , Type of Incident: A husband was helping his pilot wife launch by pulling her to help get the wing inflated. As he was letting go, he got his fingers in the prop and nearly severed them. The pilot flew off not knowing anything happened while friends attended to the injured pilot. He was taken to a hospital where the fingers were sewn back on. The newspaper account (www.StAugustine.com): Milam’s wife’s wing tipped slightly as she tried to depart from the sand and fly south, according to their friend John Broda. Milam tried to fix it, he said. “But he got too close to the prop, and it tore him up,” Broda said. The pinky, ring and middle fingers on Milam’s left hand were almost completely severed, he said. “It was just skin holding them on,” he added. Milam went to Flagler Hospital and was scheduled for surgery Sunday evening, according to an emergency room nurse. Flight Window: Wind Speed: Type: Phase of Flight: Type of Injury: Collateral Damage: Analysis of the incident (additional input by the incident investigation team): Photos (if available): Video (if available): Other Files (if available): Return to the incident list: Incident List