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12 years ago

Plano Woman Injured In Airplane Propeller Accident 

December 5, 2011 5:10 PM

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PLANO (CBS 11 NEWS) – CBS 11 News talked with the family of a Plano woman who was seriously injured in a airplane propeller accident.

Lauren Scruggs’ life was changed in an instant on Saturday night, after she stepped off of the private plane seen in the photo above.

Until the weekend, Lauren had been enjoying a life of modeling shoots and carving a career as a magazine editor… then the 23-year-old took a private plane ride.

The trip ended with a horrible accident that left Lauren disfigured and close to death.

Lauren’s father, Jeff Scruggs, recalled seeing his daughter at the hospital.

“I asked her if she could hear me to squeeze my hand and she did,” he said.

Lauren’s parents say they are relying on their Christian faith for strength and will maintain a vigil at their daughter’s hospital bedside.

Lauren’s trip in the private plane began at Aero County Airport, just outside McKinney.

According to CBS 11 sources, the pilot had been hosting a party at his house, near the runway, and was taking guests on plane rides to look at holiday lights from the air.

FAA officials say Lauren had just gotten out of the plane when walked right into a moving propeller blade. She suffered a fractured skull, severe cuts and her left hand was amputated.

Family spokesperson Janee Harrell said Lauren might have seen the blade before it hit her.

“It appears she put up her hand to block her face, which is why it was severed.”

While the woman’s injures were very serious her condition has improved. “She’s even responding more today. She’s opening her eyes, moving around the bed… which is really moving around,” said Harrell. “She’s uncomfortable but it’s a good thing.”

The pilot who flew the 2011 Aviat Husky did not respond to interview requests.

The FAA issued a statement that said, in part, “We are still investigating and will interview the pilot and any other witnesses.”

The Scruggs family believes the investigation will confirm that the accident was just that — an accident.

Lauren’s mother, Cheryl Scruggs, said, “We know that Lauren will soar because of this. She was hit by a propeller but she will be propelled to do God’s work and claim him in all that she does.”

As a testament to Lauren’s improving condition, doctors removed her breathing tube Monday and family members say the young woman is responsive and breathing on her own.

There is a chance Lauren’s fractured skull could leave her blind in one eye, but her family expects she will recover from her other injuries.

J.D. Miles wrote:



Having walked under and around airplane and helicopter propellers dozens of times in my life, I can say with complete assurance that you can't "accidentally" walk into a propeller. I doubt we'll ever learn the full story, but I'd be shocked if alcohol and/or drugs weren't involved here. It was a party after all. If she was completely sober, then this is just a case of natural selection taking effect, as far as I am concerned.

This commenter agrees with me:

The propeller of an aircraft even at idle creates a lot of wind. Couple that with the noise it makes cutting through the air, plus the noise of the engine and even with it being at night, any light in the area would cause some flash/reflection from the blades. No one with even a bit of common sense is going to think GEE, let’s go this way and walk into it. I’d guess since she was attending a ‘party’ there is alcohol, drugs or both involved.

Tom wrote:



The family spokesperson said that the girl must have put up her hand to shield her face before the propeller hit her. Except it didn't hit her -- she ran into it. It was a stationary object. Do you guys have any idea how much force and resistance a propeller kicks out? You have to consciously and deliberately walk against the slipstream. It's like bucking a sandstorm. I know -- I've had to walk through an Iraqi sandstorm before. No sane, unimpaired person would do it.
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DakotaT
12 years ago
If only Rae Carruth would have had his pilot's license, he could have saved himself that horrible trunk ride.

You were all thinking the same thing!
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gbguy20
12 years ago
Let's not be so quick to say "you can't accidentally walk into a propeller." For all you know she could have missed a step getting out of the plane and then her loss of balance led her into the propeller. Maybe nobody noticed her stumble because they were busy getting themselves out of the plane, so instead of being reported as a stumble, it says she walked into it.
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Cheesey
12 years ago

Let's not be so quick to say "you can't accidentally walk into a propeller." For all you know she could have missed a step getting out of the plane and then her loss of balance led her into the propeller. Maybe nobody noticed her stumble because they were busy getting themselves out of the plane, so instead of being reported as a stumble, it says she walked into it.

Originally Posted by: gbguy20 


I agree.
That's why they call it an "accident".
You could say the same thing in most accidents. "How did the guy NOT see the car turn in front of him?" and so on. It's sometimes easy to judge, if you were not there.
I once put my hand into the spinning fan blade on my 1968 Ford Mustang. Even though my brother had warned me to be careful. And no, i was not drinking. A second of stupidity could have cost me my fingers. In fact, i don't know how it didn't. The blade hit my hand, i expected to see LOTS of blood, and was surprised to just see some brusing.
Accidents happen. Even if we think "HOW could someone DO something that dumb?"
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