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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Beginners >> Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bloody picture
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Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bloody... - 8/23/2009 12:33 AM  1 votes
RCKen



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I have always been a huge advocate of prop safety, and unfortunately today I turned into a safety lesson. So I decided to put this out to show others what NOT to do.

When I'm starting in the pits I always secure my plane and give the prop very healthy respect when the engine is running. I never stand in front of it and always walk around to remove the glow starter. I started my plane and then taxied out to the runway for takeoff. As I rolled down the runway the plane hit a bump and the prop hit the runway which killed the engine. Grumble grumble grumble!!! I always carry my chicken stick and glow starter in my back pocket for just such instances. I've done this a thousand times. I walked down to my plane, set the radio down away from the prop, reached around and grabbed the fuselage, attached the glow starter, and started the engine with the chicken stick. The engine was at an idle so I was going to get my radio and step behind the prop to remove my glow starter. I removed my hand from the fuselage and reached for the radio. I bumped the throttle with my hand as I reached for it and the plane jumped towards me. What happened next was pure reflex and I don't know if I could have done any different if I had time to think about it, I reached up with my hand out of reflex to keep it from hitting me. Unfortunately an APC prop does not do nice things to flesh.

As you can see from the picture, it did quite a number on the palm of my hand. The upside is that there is no major damage. It didn't cut any bone, nerves, tendons, or muscle. But rather it's all in the fat on the palm of my hand. It took 2 hours at my doctor's office and 30 stiches to clean it up and close the cuts. And I spent the rest of today with my hand throbbing about 2 beats faster than my heart and zonked out on pain killers.

So what's the lesson. You got it, NEVER start a plane without it secured. In a case like this I should have taken back to the pits, or had somebody secure it for me to start it. Yes, I know there are those out there that say they've been starting their plane unsecured for years and years with no problems at all. Hey, so did I. I've been restarting planes on the runway for 14 years now and I'm always very very careful when I do so. However, no matter how careful you are accidents can still happen, as witnessed by what happened here. So for the old guys I would say to not get comfortable or confident and have this happen, stay safe and secure your plane. For the beginners out there, always secure your plane when you start it. and after it's running treat that prop with respect and always stay away from it.

Ken



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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 12:47 AM   
Old Fart


 

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Status: offline 		You typed all this left-handed?

Seriously tho,thankyou for putting that up as a timely warning to people,i do the same thing..hope you're back on the sticks soon mate!

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 12:50 AM   
Missileman



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Status: offline 		OUCH.
Yup, always have someone hold the plane when you start it on the runway.

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 1:13 AM   
rgm762


 

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Status: offline 		sorry about your hand, hope it heals fast, an old trick that helps with the throbbing is to hold it above your heart, sounds weird I know, but it works every time I smash a finger

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 1:30 AM   
davidbegg


 

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Status: offline 		Totally agree, every time I go flying I see people starting engines in scary ways.  Props do bite and they bite hard and it is the dumb stuff which gets you.  18 months after the mishap I still have a wierd nail and a deformed finger but fortunately no pain or disability.  The nail is very slowly growing back correctly, the deforned finger tip is for life.

This is my posting on my unfortunate adventure with a prop.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6693548/anchors_6693548/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#6693548

I hope you hand heals well with no permanent damage

Cheers

David

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 1:49 AM   
goirish



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Status: offline 		RCKen
Really sorry to see that. I know that you are very safety concious and it goes to show what can happen at any time.

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 2:10 AM   
Luftwaffe Oberst



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Status: offline 		Hey Ken,

Sorry to see you got bit! I hope you recover well and get through the pain OK. God, if that happened to me I'd be out of work for a few weeks and that would really break me money wise!

Thanks Ken, speaking for myself, I do need reminders like this from time to time. My wife can tell you, I can be slow at times. (I did hear it gets better with age) It's these reminders that keep my hands and other body parts together in one piece!

Good luck Ken, let us know how your doing, I'll be thinking good thoughts your way. (A Prayer)

Pete

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 2:11 AM   
Stick 40


 

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Status: offline 		man, bad news.

I know it can happen at any time, but am very sorry to hear about it.

I think its good to put this on, as we always need to be reminded about this.

I am teaching a new person to fly, but I think one of the big things I need to teach him is prop safty. I did not let him start the engine for about a month. I showed severl time how to keep away from the prop.

He is beginning to start the engine with me watching, and advising.

thanks for the reminder.

sticks

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 2:21 AM   
RCKen



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quote:

ORIGINAL: Stick 40

man, bad news.

I know it can happen at any time, but am very sorry to hear about it.

I think its good to put this on, as we always need to be reminded about this.

I am teaching a new person to fly, but I think one of the big things I need to teach him is prop safty. I did not let him start the engine for about a month. I showed severl time how to keep away from the prop.

He is beginning to start the engine with me watching, and advising.

thanks for the reminder.

sticks


Feel free to print out the picture of my hand to show him!!! that's why I posted it!!

Ken

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 2:29 AM   
Charlie P.



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Status: offline 		Ouch, ouch, ouch!

Here's wishing you a speedy recovery.

It's surprising how suddenly and innocently we slip into that less careful mindset. Not careless, just not on our guard.

Glad you missed the nerves. My really stupid act involved holding a little 14" chainsaw in my right hand while cleaning up after felling a tree in the yard by holding small branches in my left hand. Dumb. Very dumb. I knew better. I took three fingers down from the back of the hand across the knuckles halfway through the bones. Readdly did a number on the second knuckle of my middle finger. Took me a year to get 90% use back and another year to get to 100%. Many hours with beads of sweat on my forehead and waves of nausea trying to squeeze a rolled up pair of socks. Worked my way very gradually up to tennis balls.

Still remember being in the emergency room under local with a Japanese doctor wearing headband binoculars and snipping away little bits and saying: "You no need this." Snip. "You no need this." Snip.

Lets be careful out there.

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 2:32 AM   
CGRetired



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Status: offline 		Hey Ken.

I fully understand what happened. I have five stiches on my right index finger. I am not proud of that, because it happened with an electric that I thought I had control of.

Take care of that hand.

CGr.

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 2:47 AM   
RCKen



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Ok, a little followup. Just changed the dressings so I had a chance to take pictures of the quilting job the doc did on my hand.

Ken



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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 2:57 AM   
Campgems


 

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Status: offline 		Ken, really sorry to hear about your accdient.  It's great that you shared it though.  To many times I've  seen  the "experienced" guys, at least in their mind, do some dumb stuff and get away with it, reenforcing in their mind that they were imune from having a problem, what they were doing was safe.  To hear of someone with you experience having an accident like this shows the new guys and those who think they are imune from accidents that the slighest of mistakes can result in a big problem and that they should take notice..   Things happen when you least expect them to. 

Starting an engine/motor is probably the most dangerious part of flying.  I've seen electrics lunge backward because the polarity was wrong on the engine wirning.  I've had a big four stroke start in reverse and when I bumped the throttle, it lunged back on the table. luckly a friend was standing close and caught it before any damage was done.   What some guys don't realize is that  those "almost" accidents were good luck, and not because me/we/they were doing something safe and the "system worked"   

Again, really sorry about your hand, but for a real life lesson for the rest of us, I'm glad you chose to share it with us.  Get well soon.

Don 

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 3:41 AM   
goirish



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Status: offline 		I think that old doc was a seamtress in his other life. Take care and probably see you in Toledo.

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 3:52 AM   
ppkk



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Status: offline 		Very sorry to hear about your accident, hope it heals soon.

Thanks for posting. A reminder every now and then is a great thing...

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 3:58 AM   
TFF


 

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Status: offline 		I hate to hear about it but it is good that you are sharing your experience.
A buddy and I went to a scale contest this spring, while I was at the TX impound, my friend was running his engine to warm it up. The next I see him he is walking up the the impound and asks me if I have a band aid. then he show me his fingers; just as bad as your hand. Tried to stop the engine with with the spinner, and the OS 120 said no. I could not get him to go get some stitches. It bleed all weekend, but he was doing well and did not want to go. The SOB won his class but his fingers still look rough after 3 months.

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 4:07 AM   
bingo field



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Status: offline 		Roger all that! Also, see my prop flyoff video...

http://www.rcuvideos.com/video/Prop-spin-off-MPG

I know it doesn't help, but get well soon..

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 4:08 AM   
RCKen



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quote:

ORIGINAL: TFF

I hate to hear about it but it is good that you are sharing your experience.
A buddy and I went to a scale contest this spring, while I was at the TX impound, my friend was running his engine to warm it up. The next I see him he is walking up the the impound and asks me if I have a band aid. then he show me his fingers; just as bad as your hand. Tried to stop the engine with with the spinner, and the OS 120 said no. I could not get him to go get some stitches. It bleed all weekend, but he was doing well and did not want to go. The SOB won his class but his fingers still look rough after 3 months.



Now that is dedication!!! 

As soon as it happened I looked down and counted 5 fingers, ok that's good. Then I opened my hand and looked at the palm and I knew right away my day was over. I headed straight for the pits and started asking for help. Luckily I fly with some of the best guys in the hobby. They brought my plane back to the pits, defueled it, wiped it down, packed all my gear up, and loaded it all back in my truck for me!!! Luckily it wasn't bleeding too bad, I wrapped it up and drove to my house (less than 10 minute drive) and then my wife took me to my doctor's office from there.

Ken

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 5:03 AM   
Ilikebipes



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Status: offline 		Ken! OUCH!!!

I'm glad you're okay.

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 6:22 AM   
WestCoastFlyer


 

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Status: offline 		Hi Ken,

I'm sorry that happened. All the best to you for a speedy recovery!

I'm sure the Doc gave you antibiotics, and I'm sure you know how important it is take the full course - even when it starts healing up and appears to look like you can stop taking them, battling a new infection when you stop too soon can really be trouble.

Dave

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 6:46 AM   
N429EM



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Status: offline 		Sorry to hear of your bad fortune, Ken.
Hope you get to feeling better, soon.

This picture should be shown to every new student pilot.

And, every person that buys a plane for the first time, and thinks he can learn to fly on his own. You had the fortune of having friends around to help. Can you imagine someone, alone, at the local soccer field? Sure, yours wasn't so bad that you couldn't wait just a few minutes and run home. A worse injury, alone, could be more threatening.

Good luck, "Lefty".

EJ

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 6:57 AM   
rino


 

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Status: offline 		I hope you get better soon. I have no critcism to offer. I have a numb middle finger from a similar incident.

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 7:10 AM   
moron88



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Status: offline 		reminded me of what happened to my uncle. years ago he sliced his arm open when he was reaching for the igniter. he was only 12 at the time and i was 4 or 5. he ended up with something like 15 stiches as i recall them saying ( my mom, aunts and grandma were talking about the stupid things people in the family did a few years back). now he never lets anyone go near the front of one of his planes when the radio is on.

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 8:03 AM   
psb667


 

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Status: offline 		oww %$#3*&% oww

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RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bl... - 8/23/2009 10:41 AM   
jetmech05


 

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Status: offline 		Ken....Man o man I'm real sorry you got zapped....remember I did it a year ago last thanksgiving....you beat me by 9 stitches but I got ya by two bones....
I am beginning to say those that have been gotten by props and those that will.......Everyone let's prove me wrong....no more prop strikes on anything covered in skin......this will require us to never hurry...always approach the prop from the rear......always get someone to hold for you or tie your airplane down.......
Ken my friend heal quickly.....

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