Beech A36 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, July 15, 2010
On July 15, 2010 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N4153Q, was involved in an accident during prior to flight near Las Vegas, Nevada (Mc Carran International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The passenger's failure to maintain clearance from a turning propeller. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2010 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Mc Carran International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N4153Q · no longer on the register · serial E-2687
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passenger reported that after loading the baggage, she and the pilot got into the airplane and the pilot attempted to start the engine. According to the passenger, the engine would not start and described it as running rough. When the engine finally started, the pilot attempted to move the airplane forward but realized the wheel chocks were still securing it. The passenger offered to help and exited the airplane. Without receiving instruction, she crawled under the right wing and forward to the right side of the nose of the airplane. As she leaned in to remove the chocks, the propeller struck her. After a Federal Aviation Administration inspector described a preflight inspection to the passenger, she stated that she could not recall seeing the pilot ever perform this action. The pilot reported that after he realized the chocks were still securing the airplane he did not want to shut down the engine due to the high outside air temperature. In the recommendation section of the National Transportation Safety Board 6120.1 form, the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by not allowing the passenger to exit the airplane while the engine was running.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground handling event during prior to flight defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,203 hours in all; 828 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 20, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,256 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Connelly Equipment Rental CO LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Las Vegas NV
- Destination: SEE El Cajon CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 111°F (44°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from LAS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.