The pilot reported that she had just returned from a flight and had taxied to a point on the ramp where she had arranged to deplane her passenger, a 12 year-old child, with the assistance of an adult escort. The aircraft's engine was at idle with the propeller rotating at about 800 rpm's during the deplaning operation. As she watched her passenger deplane, she happened to glance toward the front of the aircraft in time to see a second child running toward the aircraft. Before she could shut down the engine, the child was struck by the propeller. The propeller strike caused serious injuries to the child, but no damage to the aircraft. The child had been instructed previously not to approach the aircraft without an adult escort.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

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