THIS IS A SINGLE VESSEL INCIDENT INVOLVING ONLY THE OPERATOR/OWNER AND HIS VESSEL. VESSEL # 1 IS A 15', 1968 LOUISIANA TRAVELER (ALUMINUM FLAT BOAT). THE VESSEL WAS POWERED BY A (20) HORSEPOWER, TILLER STEERED MOTOR. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THE VESSEL WAS OPERATED AND OCCUPIED SOLELY BY OPERATOR 1, OF DENHAM SPRINGS, LA. OPERATOR 1 WAS ATTEMPTING DOCKING MANEUVERS AT THE DOCK ADJACENT TO THE HILL TOP INN, IN MAUREPAUS, LOUISIANA WHEN HE FELL FROM HIS VESSEL WHILE SWITCHING GEARS FROM REVERSE TO FORWARD. WHEN OPERATOR 1 CHANGED GEAR HE "GOOSED" THE THROTTLE, WHICH BECAME STUCK IN A POSITION THAT CAUSED THE VESSEL TO ACCELERATE SHARPLY. OPERATOR 1, WHO HAD ONE FOOT ON THE FLOOR OF THE CESSEL AND ONE KNEE ON THE REAR SEAT, WAS EJECTED FROM THE VESSEL. THE VESSEL CIRCLED AT A NOTABLE SPEED THEN CAME AROUND AND STRUCK OPERATOR 1. THE PROPELLER STRUCK HIS LEFT, UPPER ARM CAUSING FOUR NOTABLE LACERATIONS. HE WAS RESCUED BY NEARBY BOATERS ON ANOTHER VESSEL. OPERATOR 1 WAS LATER TREATED AT ST. ELIZABETH'S HOSPITAL IN GONZALES, LA., AND RELEASED. OPERATOR 1 WAS NOT WEARING A PFD NOR WAS HE WEARING THE ENGINE'S SAFETY LANYARD / KILL SWITCH. OPERATOR 1 HAD BEEN CONSUMING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING THE DAY. A BLOOD SAMPLE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED FOR TESTING TO DETERMINE OPERATOR 1'S BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT. PRIMARY FACTORS IN THIS INCIDENT APPEAR TO BE FAILURE TO UTILIZE THE SAFETY LANYARD / KILL SWITCH, A STICKING THROTTLE LEVER, OPERATOR INEXPERIENCE AND POSSIBLY THE USE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
MAUREPAUS                     