LakeCumberlandBoaters.com

A Dallas-area model and editor lost her left hand and fractured her skull after she walked into the propeller of a small airplane following a flight to view Christmas lights over the weekend.

Lauren Scruggs, 23, of Plano was in serious condition Monday at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas after the incident Saturday night. Scruggs, a fashion model, founded and edits LoLo Magazine.

Scruggs landed at Aero Country Airport in the McKinney area, about 30 miles from Dallas, about 9:30 p.m. Saturday after viewing North Texas Christmas lights from a small private airplane, The Dallas Morning News reported. The pilot wasn't hurt.

A family friend, Janeé Harrell, said Scruggs was struck on the left side of her body.

"Following multiple surgeries, Lauren has received facial and shoulder reconstruction, as well as the loss of her hand," Harrell said in a statement on a website set up by Scruggs' family and friends.

Scruggs is responding to voice commands and is able to move her legs and arms, according to an update posted on the site Monday morning.


Link to story with a picture of Ms. Scruggs: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/ ... -propeller

She should sue the aircraft manufacturer, the engine manufacturer, the propeller maker, the pilot and the ground crew for failure to ensure her safety by installing propeller guards on the plane and to walk her clearly away from the area.

At least, that's the way it is done in the boat propeller cases.

People are idiots.

MarineAssist wrote:She should sue the aircraft manufacturer, the engine manufacturer, the propeller maker, the pilot and the ground crew for failure to ensure her safety by installing propeller guards on the plane and to walk her clearly away from the area.

At least, that's the way it is done in the boat propeller cases.

People are idiots.

MarineAssist wrote:She should sue the aircraft manufacturer, the engine manufacturer, the propeller maker, the pilot and the ground crew for failure to ensure her safety by installing propeller guards on the plane and to walk her clearly away from the area.

Marine, I have no doubt that we will soon be hearing about lawsuits being filed.... The private plane industry will now be changed...

Am I on the wrong site, is there 2 post missing?????

Spare have you been drinking already today? I don't see anything messed up about the forum today........

Help Ive fallen...could someone give me a hand?

no doubt a blond, pilot told her to walk away from the prop but she just got confused.

Lock5 wrote:Spare have you been drinking already today? I don't see anything messed up about the forum today........

They are not "missing" we know where they are... lol

I saw a brief TV report about this accident a couple days ago and they interviewed an instructor pilot. He said basic safety rules taught at flight schools everywhere is that the pilot of a small plane like this is not to allow his passengers to get out of the plane until he has gone thru engine shutdown procedures and the prop has completely stopped spinning. If this is true she may actually have a legit suit against the pilot.

Also saw an interview with the mom and dad. Mom siad she didn't believe that the girl just got out of the plane and walked into the spinning prop. She thought she must have walked to the front of the plane and turn around to wave goodbye to her pilot friend and got into the prop that way. Seems to me that should be pretty easy to figure out by which side of the plane she exited because the trauma was on the left side of her body. If she got out on the right side of the plane and turned to wave goodbye before being struck then the trauma should be on her right side and vice versa if she got out on the left side. But if she got out on the right side and walked straight into the prop then the trauma would be on her left side.

Ok, your investigator side of you is coming out. ...but did you consider it could also have to do with what hand she favors... ? ...

That's exactly what I was thinking E... if I'm getting out of the right side, I am going to turn counter clockwise and wave bye with my left to the direction of where he was, which would indeed put my left side in jeopardy... regardless, I don't think the pilot should have let her out of the plane at all until all safety measures were taken.... j/s... what a horrible mishap.

Lock5 wrote:Spare have you been drinking already today? I don't see anything messed up about the forum today........

The day is not over yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Walking in front of 'any' plane with the engine(s) running is like walking across a 6 lane interstate @ rush hour! JMO