Woonsocket, Rhode Island – September 24, 1939
At about 1:30 p.m. on the afternoon of September 24, 1939, a pilot was working on his aircraft motor at the Woonsocket Airport. The pilot spun the propeller to start the motor before before connecting the throttle rod to the carburetor. The engine came to life at full throttle, and since only one of the wheels was “chocked”, the plane began turning in circles. As the pilot was attempting to get at the controls, an 8-year-old boy attracted to the excitement, came running over and was struck a glancing blow on his head by the tail section and was knocked to the ground. The pilot managed to climb into the cockpit and turn the engine off. The boy was transported to Woonsocket Hospital for treatment.
Source:
The Woonsocket Call, “Boy Injured By Pilot-less Plane”, September 25, 1939