Heartland Fire & Rescue

Propeller Kills Pilot At Gillespie Field

EL CAJON -- At 8:30 a.m. Monday a 41-year-old pilot and his passenger began to taxi out of a hangar located at the west end of Gillespie Field Airport, just south of the air traffic control tower in El Cajon. Reportedly the single-engine plane stalled and the pilot attempted to “hot prop” the propeller of the single-engine plane.

In the process the pilot suffered a severe head injury when he was struck by the propeller. Heartland Fire & Rescue from El Cajon transported the pilot to Sharp Memorial Hospital where he was officially declared dead.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officials are investigating this incident.