On a typical Saturday afternoon we have spectators standing by the chain link fence (where they are supposed to be) enjoying the airshow.   A 6 year old boy wanders over to the fence opening under our Flightmasters Field sign/arch.

One of our members starts their airplane engine while the plane is carelessly pointed toward the fence (toward the spectators).   The engine starts and the pilot throttles up to "clear" the engine.   The propeller flies off because the lock nut wasn't tight enough and you guessed it, in a fraction of a second the prop strikes the boy on his left eye and forehead.

The 6 year old was rushed to the emergency room. The ER physician informed the boy's parents that their son was lucky because he flinched when the propeller hit him and although his eye (and forehead) was cut seriously, he should make a complete recovery.

The club president visited with the parents while they were in the ER waiting room and a verbal agreement was made as to compensation of their son's injury: Flightmasters will pay all expenses incurred because of the accident, (including follow-up doctor visits, medications, etc.). News of this "accident" made the local TV stations and newspaper.   Stephens Production was also mentioned in the news as the flight area property owners.

The day after the accident, Stephens Production company's attorney advised the Flightmasters club president that effective immediately, the flying field is closed indefinitely.

Even though an agreement between the boy's parents and FMAC had been made, two weeks after the accident, Flightmasters' president was contacted by a local law firm informing him that a lawsuit has been filed against Flightmasters MAC, Inc., for 3 million dollars citing unsafe actions causing injury, pain and suffering to a child.

The AMA and their insurance carrier is withholding all compensation payments pending investigation for possible safety code violation(s) by Flightmasters club.