A woman’s arm and foot came in contact with a plane’s propeller while at the Key West International Airport on Oct. 12, according to multiple reports.
Both the pilot and the woman were exiting from the private plane to investigate some mechanical issues causing the aircraft to be immobile, according to the press release issued by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 13.
While the aircraft was still running, the pilot went to check whether the “blocks placed by the airplane tires when it is stationary on the tarmac were still in place,” and the woman followed suit, but when she walked in front of the plane, she was struck by the propeller, the press release stated.
The woman was rushed to Lower Keys Medical Center, and then airlifted to Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, according to New York Daily News. The Florida Highway Patrol will be investigating all aspects of the accident, according to the news outlet.
According to the Miami Herald, the pilot was identified as Walter Gray, 46, and the victim was his wife, Rebecca Lynn Gray, 45. They both are Fort Myers residents. The incident occurred on 8:45 p.m.
Walter Gray had told his wife to stay put but she decided to exit the aircraft. When she tried to remove something from the tires of the aircraft, she made came contact with the propeller, Miami Herald reported. The news outlet also reported that Walter Gray had told his wife not to stand in front of the aircraft.
On Oct. 13, when investigating the case, the Florida Highway Patrol were unable to determine what the source of the mechanical troubles was that caused the aircraft to stop moving, according to the press release.
Miami Herald reported that the aircraft was a single-propeller Cessna 172S, and the aircraft was a rental from Fort Myers.
There are conflicting reports regarding the extent of the injuries Gray sustained. According to the Miami Herald, the spokesman for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Rebecca Gray had one of her feet severed. The Florida Highway Patrol could only confirm she had lost an arm.
No further information was currently available.
