LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: A 22-year-old trainee pilot from New Delhi was hit on the back by a still-running propeller after stepping off a twin-engine trainer aircraft at Kanpur’s Chakeri airport, prompting Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to order a probe and ground the plane.

Riya Batra suffered back injuries after deboarding Garg Aviation’s Tecnam P2006T aircraft during a night training sortie Friday. The civil aviation regulator has off-rostered the instructor from flying training duties pending the probe and barred use of aircraft VTNBV until the investigation is complete. DGCA is investigating whether she stepped out on her own or was asked to do so before the engines were shut down. “After landing, the trainee pilot deboarded the aircraft with the engine running,” DGCA said. “The cadet received injuries to her back after being hit by the running propeller.” A note submitted at the private hospital where Batra was admitted by a “friend” said she had suffered injuries in a Scooty fall, raising further questions that investigators are expected to examine. While boarding and deboarding trainer aircraft with propellers running is prohibited, aviation industry insiders alleged some flying training organisations in India and abroad swap trainees between sorties without shutting down engines to save time.

What happened in this case will be determined by the probe. Garg Aviation safety manager Group Captain Rajeev Bhalla said the aircraft landed around 8.40pm and was slowing to a halt when Batra “attempted to get out of the aircraft before both engines had been switched off”, contrary to standard operating procedure. Flight instructor Captain Raunak, who has about 5,000 flying hours, saw her trying to step out, “immediately shouted at her to stop and simultaneously switched off the engines”, Bhalla said.

Before the propeller stopped rotating, it struck Batra on her back. Emergency medical assistance was arranged before she was shifted to a private hospital. Bhalla said Batra is recovering and her injuries “are not expected to end her aviation career”.