CGRetired

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To 8178:

Great idea.. now all I have to do is follow up on that.

I was playing with the same aircraft last evening, fininshing touches getting ready for an RC Air Show on Sat. I was... like... above myself, watching that I didn't get in the way of anything rotating while I was working on the servo's. I even went to the extreme of taping the throttle stick on the TX fully closed! ha.. worked, though.

I might make that suggestion at the next meeting (removing the prop as you suggested). Great idea.

DS.

l.wilber

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I hope that you heal quickly. God bless.....

Mr67Stang

You know, I was reading this post back on the 18th thinking wow that sucks. I could not believe the damage a prop can do. Well I sit here now typing gimpy with 6 stitches in my finger. Stupid happens.[sm=tongue_smile.gif] I was fortunate not to catch any tendens or nervs. I hope you recover quickly.. I know I will, I have to fly next weekend.

EDIT: I was bitten by an APC 6x3 being spun by a Norvel .061 at abot 22k RPM

gilbertfh

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I got to see this beauty of a cut. I would like to give you all a little insight to what a norvell engine can do to your finger at 22000 rpm. The gash on my buddies finger was probably 2 inches long and 1/4-3/8 of an inch wide. Now that seems a little odd but from the looks of it the propeller struck him not once or twice but 4-5 times or more. I am counting my graces that I have not experienced this type of injury. For all of those of you that think your injury may not be that bad take off that paper towel and rubber band holding it in place and get a friends opinion. If there is no one else around to help you come back to reality (dumb, dumb, dumb) go to the doctor and have him check it out. If at all possible fly with a buddy so you have somebody to drive you to the emergency room.

P.S. The doc is supposed to be sending him pics

Radical Departure

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Thanks for all the replies. Surgery went okay, my hand will be in a cast for the next 4 weeks while the tendons and veins heal. I will say, that as an old Airborne Ranger who has endured his share of painful moments, this was pain (post-surgery), like I've never experienced. The kind that makes you literally physically ill. I'd never wish this on anyone. I'm looking forward to recovery and getting back in the air. Tough to look at your planes and know it'll be a while before you can mess with them. Thanks again, remember, always think safety!

gilbertfh

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I am glad to see you will come out of this ok. You should learn to fly one handed

Radical Departure

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Hahahaha!!!! Believe me, the thought has crossed my mind, the weather here has been perfect.

skiman762

Glad to hear your doing better
and by the way
Welcome to
''The Order Of The Purple Prop''

Radical Departure

My Feedback: (13)

Been a while since able to post, just wanted to bring anyone interested up-to-date. Its now been almost 2 months since the prop strike and surgery. At this time I've almost completed my first series of therapy. Having never been 'seriously' injured in my 47 years, this was a real eye-opener. So, if any of you ever catch a prop across the back of your hand and sever a few veins and tendons, (and I hope that none of you EVER have to experience this), here's what you can expect;

1. When the cast and braces finally come off between weeks 4-6, parts of your hand and all fingers will be swelled like a toad. The rest of your hand will look like it belongs on an 80 yr. old. Withered and 'depressed' or sunken. Chances are you'll not be able to move any fingers beyond small fractions of an inch. You'll notice that your the nails haven't grown on those fingers. After a few days of getting some air, you'll start to shed skin from the finger tips to the end of where the cast stopped. This will continue for a couple of weeks. You'll be amazed at the amount of shedding. Fingers will typically be somewhat numb, and the palm of the hand will seem to have no tactile feeling or sensation. Very much like your arm going to 'sleep'.

2. You'll make damned sure you have your brace on before going to bed, because nerves will start 'firing' as they heal while you rest. Ever go to nod off and just before you do, you have a feeling of falling and have to 'catch' yourself? You'll try to do it with that hand, or sometime during the night you'll unknowingly try to grab for something with it. Your hand isn't ready to grab, you will instantly return to an awakened state because it'll hurt like hell. Did the pain cause the dream or the dream cause the pain? Your 'funny' bone will be VERY sensitive, and you will learn to be protective of it.

3. The muscles in your arm/fore arm and hand will have atropied a surprising degree. Your injured arm will be noticeably thinner than your good arm. By now you'll have learned how to wash yourself, dress yourself (forget buttons and ties, just not going to happen yet. Think track suit style pants and polo pullovers.), how to open jars and a variety of other tasks with the good hand. You'll not be able to clip the fingernails on the good hand.

4. Therapy will start with measurements of how much you can move the fingers and wrist. At this time you'll get some movement out of the first knuckle below the finger tips from the least injured fingers. The others will be barely measurable. You may get a tiny bit from the wrist, and the thumb's going nowhere. Pain is not a huge component, but there will be a lot of discomfort due to swelling, muscle and tendon tightness. Like swimmers crap in the hand, only the fingers aren't moving in a cramped fashion. After 3 weeks of therapy you'll start to see a lot more movement in the fingers, but the main knuckles in the hand aren't ready to 'break over' yet. You'll constantly be moving fingers because 10 minutes after stopping they feel like they're connected with very tight rubber bands. Flex the fingers 'up' and your knuckles will feel like they have weights soldered to them pushing back under the skin. A very unnerving feeling. Only about now will swelling start to subside, though your hand will feel like circulation is being cut off at the wrist, a very balloon like feeling, also a bit unnerving as no position makes it feel better. Must keep moving the fingers. By this time you'll also start getting some movement out of the thumb and wrist. Typically you can get almost 90 degrees bend at the wrist, (think arm wrestling position), but for now, you'll only be seeing about 40 degrees worth on a good day. Keep flexing the wrist and moving fingers. Feeling is almost back in the palm. You may get enough movement to try and pick up something with the 2 best fingers... forget it, they won't have the strength, they'll be shaking so bad you'll think you have parkinsons.

At this point I'm no where near being able to fly or build, but every day gets me one step closer. The results are measurable. Next week I get a brace with tie downs, which will bend the fingers down and flex the wrist to start stretching and breaking over the main knuckles. At the current rate, I should be able to make a rudimentary fist come january. Then it'll be time to start building strength back into them. I would have NEVER dreamed that, in the big scope of things, such a small injury would take so long to recover from. I overshot the LZ a mile on that one. Its akin to starting over with a new hand, the muscles and tendons have to start over, building 'memory' into them so they stay stretched, everything touched feels weird and 'new'. Some days are depressing, thats just a fact. Some daily tasks seem impossible and you'll swear you're not making any progress. Just keep moving those fingers and flexing the wrist, you will see progress! And last, for anyone that ever encounters this, however it may happen, your new best friend will be your therapist!! Use one that specializes in hand injuries as well! They are the key to a successful recovery, no matter how independent you are! Hopefully, next time I update this, I'll be able to say I'm back flying, or danged close to it.

HM

ArCeeFlyer

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That is incredible and sobering. Thanks for sharing your experience. It's extremely valuable information for everybody and I hope you get fully recovered and can get back to building and flying. Looking forward to that positive progress update. [sm=thumbs_up.gif] Keep up the good work.

Arrow IV

Radical,
You forgot to tell just how enjoyable Physical Therapy is. Three times a week for 10 months for me. Ah yes the modern day torture chamber. There were two good things that came out of that for me: 1) At the end of each session I literally had a buzz just from the pain ending and 2) The good news, finally, is hang in there my man because you will survive this my friend. I wish you a full recovery and you will have it! Stay strong and be patient your gonna be back to 100% before you know it!

rajul

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Hope you have a speedy recovery.

timothy thompson

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lets see the hand

Radical Departure

My Feedback: (13)

Well here ya go..nothing real ugly.. scarring looking better, hand still has about 10% swelling.. if I can just get those danged knuckles below the fingers to start working.. On the second picture, the red indicates the original cuts. Yellow is area of hand which was removed, (due to flesh no longer being viable), then skin pulled from opposing sides to make one line. The green is how much further down they had to cut to retrieve the tendon. Of all the places to get prop whacked...

Pilots12

I had a little mishap, not as bad as yours happen to me when i tried to start a 61 2stroke my hand. I turned the prop over and it backfired before i pull my hand away, sliced 2 figers open. Didnt get any stiches but it still hurt pretty badneedless to say.

bugleboy

My Feedback: (8)

OUCH! I feel your pain. Both physically and in the pocket book. Thanks for the warning/reminder. It could just have easily been me next time I set up an electric, but I think I will learn from your mistake. I have had this happen once (reverse the throttle servo), but luckily I was not in the path of the prop.

driedjello

Thank you for this post. I can see this happen to anyone. It really will renew my observance of safety. One thing to add is that an electric motor can deliver 100% of it's torque at zero RPM. Because of this, I agree with the assertion that they may be more dangerous than gas. I was flipstarting and my .91 4stroke backfired driving the prop back into my finger to the bone. No permanent damage but very scary and bloody. If this were an electric motor, it might be a far worse story. My finger had to only undertake one combustion worth of energy vs. the electric that would drive the blade until you try to withdraw the hand (by instinct) and then it would shread your fingers on the way out!

I would like to thank you for your service to this great country! God bless America and those who have served her.

Dora Nine

I use Electicfly ESC's as they have an arming feature, unless you fidgett with the throttle you are all set..

ctnic

Another example of why to never fly alone....

After starting this engine over 100 times, not being distracted, taking my time, and being careful I was still bit by my prop on Sunday, November 26. The culprit is a YS140 with a Bolly 19x6 carbon fiber prop.

I had changed my normal starting routine by placing the transmitter immediately next to me rather than at arms reach (the change was prompted by an almost full throttle start the previous week which scared the wee-bee-gee-bees out of me). After the engine was started I brought it back to idle, lifted my hand high above the spinning prop, and preceded to bend down to pick up the transmitter without taking the normal step away because it was next to me. Fortunately my hand came down into the prop from the back side. My ring finger got 5 stitches and the index finger took 4. My thumb did not fair so well as it took the hand specialist 12 stitches and 1 pin to put it back together. I had almost cut it completely off just above the knuckle with the bone being shattered in many pieces. The doctor did make me feel a little better by telling me each special stitch was worth 2 to 3 normal stitches as I thought 12 just made it sound like a bad scratch and was expecting 36 or more. There is no repairing the carbon fiber prop as my thumb bone shattered the blade (I will be keeping it as a reminder though). The other 2 fingers which did not get cut were only wacked by the back of the blades. I could only imagine what would have happened had my fingers come through the front side of the blades.

I realize I am very fortunate! The stitches were taken out Thursday, December 7 and the pin comes out in 3 more weeks (rather than the 6 to 8 as originally told). I am starting to get the feeling back in all my fingers and entire thumb. I even get to do my own torture/therapy on my fingers while waiting for the pin to come out of my thumb. Thank God for vicadin and motrin!

Radical Departure

My Feedback: (13)

YEOW!!!! Wishing you a speedy recovery ctnic! Hoping your post will help someone from making the same mistake. This is a great hobby, but also one that needs just a split second lapse to bite quicker than a rattler. A number of posters to this thread have learned that the hard way, myself included of course, and doubt we make similar missteps again. Always think safety and maintain situational awareness around the prop! Thanks again for the post ctnic!

forestroke

unfortunately i'm also on the prop strike list. i'm glad there are posts like this that really pummel the point home. i've been flying for a while myself and while i never thought of myself as careless, knew that i could always be more careful. half a year ago, my luck ran out. pulling my hand out from adjusting the exhaust it came across the prop at full throttle (running in the engine). stupid stupid stupid. 9 painful stitches. lesson is that you can never be too careful. once you think you're careful enough, it'll come and bite you. never lose that fear and you'll be a lot safer.

although i hate to see these ugly pictures, they are a good reminder that as we get into more powerful engines and motors, the danger level increases proportionally! my 2 cents and 9 stitches.

iplayloud

IMO plastic blades are really dangerous, many years ago I was tuning my engine and I pushed the throttle stick accidentally and the plane ran into my shoe and chopped the rubber like pepperoni, then I started using wood propellers because the edge is smoother and it breaks easyer, plastic props are very hard and give a tremendous impact to the fuselage if they hit something while taxiing or something, while wood props break right away and save damage to the plane.

schwatd

Fellas, I hope you recovery quickly, and you've made me a firm beliver in figuring out anyway possible to keep my fingers and hands away from quickly rotating airofoil on the front of the airplane.

Troy

feep

Wow! All you guys who have posted because of your mishaps deserve our thanks for sharing your mishaps for our benifit. I wish all of you a speedy recovery. One advantage that you may all have thought of is that you have an increadibly strong incentive to get back to normal and that is that the use of your hand is soooo important to our hobby.

I have just retired from 30 years in the fire service and seen a lot of accidents over those years and tried to take something from those mistakes I have seen. I have always belived that power tools shoud be used with a healthy respect that borders on fear. This does not mean I have always stayed safe.( 3/16 inch off the tip of my thumb on a planer/joiner)
Aircraft props are probably more dangerous and when I'm around my 1/4 scale aircraft with it's G 26 or my 46 size ultra sport I try to always pretend I'm trying to pat a pit bull thats's barking and growling at me. Thanks again

offroadpete

Just to give you an idea, I had a very bad experience with a glow engine. I dont know if you want to count it as prop bitten, its more like an "A#$hole" that had no respect for safety and flew his plane right towards my g/f and her little brother. It was a SIG Somethin' Extra with a .46 OS in it. The SOB flew it right towards us while we stood behind the railings in the spectator area and he lost control, he claims radio interference, I say inexperienced pilot, anyone knows you shouldnt fly next to the spectators there is more then ample room to fly infront of you where the runway is. Anyways, the plane dived right at us and all i can think of doing was jumping in front of g/f and her bro and backhand (pimp slap) slapping the plane outta the air. In doing so I manged to sever 4 tendons, requiring more then 6 months of physical therapy, a skin graft for my thumb (they pulled the skin from my palm it was pretty cool) a metal rod was required because I fractured my 5th metacarpel. All in all, 4 surgeries, 37 stitches (each time i went to surgery, making a grand total of 148 stitches over a 2 month period) and a $16,000 hospital bill. My hand has YET to fully recover and am limited to about 80% movement and I am told that this will be the best it will get.....then i'll get arthertis.
The pictures are quite graphic to some, so be warned.