Originally Posted by
SWBKCB
..........Serious question - how difficult is it to not notice a turning tail rotor? Presumably still potentially deadly when turning very slowly, could that be the case here?
The propellor blades of a Cessna 152, a Dash 8 and a helicopter tail rotor etc cannot be seen when they are turning, even at idle; they disappear. Hence, sadly, sometimes people - even very experienced pilots - run through propellors and tail rotors. A tail rotor is edge-on to an exiting passenger, so even more invisible.
It is easy to get disorientated near a machine that is making an enormous amount of noise. Easy to get confused as you exit and think you are running forwards but run towards the rear instead, and with the huge onslaught of noise, you cannot hear anyone's shouted warnings. People instinctively know that it is safer to run behind a car than in front of one, so maybe instinct takes over and they go the wrong way from a helicopter despite what they may have been briefed to do.
Ground crews around commercial airliners will not approach an aircraft if its beacon is flashing, nor will the doors be opened until the engines have been safely shut down. Same ought to apply to helicopters. Because of the cool-down time required for helicopter engines, some folk literally can't wait for them to stop.