Amanda Gallagher Obituary, Death; – A 37-year-old woman from Kansas lost her life after inadvertently backing into the spinning propeller of an aircraft while attempting to take photographs, according to officials.
Amanda Gallagher, a photographer, was aboard the plane to capture images of skydivers on Saturday afternoon. She returned on the aircraft after the skydivers had completed their jumps, as reported by Air Capital Drop Zone, the location of the incident.
The Cessna 182 had landed at the site in Derby, near Wichita, and the next group of jumpers was preparing to board, as stated by Air Capital Drop Zone. The aircraft was stationary but still operational, according to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Aviation Administration.
“For reasons that remain unclear, she positioned herself in front of the wing, which contravenes fundamental safety protocols,” Air Capital Drop Zone noted in a statement. “While holding her camera to take photos, she inadvertently stepped back, moving toward and into the path of the spinning propeller.”
Gallagher, a resident of Wichita, was transported to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries, as reported by authorities. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently conducting an investigation.
