A woman died Saturday after she backed into plane's propeller as she was trying to take a picture at an airfield in Kansas, officials said.
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office said the woman was critically injured and died at the hospital, NBC affiliate KSNW of Wichita reported. The sheriff's office identified her as Amanda Gallagher, 37, of Wichita.
The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
Air Capital Drop Zone, a Kansas-based skydiving company, said in a statement Monday that Gallagher was on one of its flights as an observer to take photos.
“After the airplane landed, for unknown reasons, as the next group of jumpers were boarding, she moved in front of the wing, a violation of basic safety procedures,” the statement said. “With her camera up to shoot photos as she did so, she stepped back slightly moving toward and into the spinning propeller.”
Martin Myrtle, the company's owner, said that Gallagher was beautiful "inside and out" and that her death had a "profound" impact on the Drop Zone community.
"Her presence at the DZ was welcomed, she was loved," Myrtle said.
Cook Airfield — a privately owned airport in Derby, about 15 miles south of Wichita — confirmed her death on Facebook and asked followers to keep her friends and family in mind.
The airfield is also the home of Air Capital Drop Zone.
"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the young lady who died yesterday after a tragic accident with an airplane propeller on Cook Airfield," the airfield said.
A GoFundMe campaign started to help Gallagher's family with funeral expenses described her as kind, adventurous and creative.
"She was a loving daughter, sister, aunt and friend and will be greatly missed," the website said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement Monday that it will investigate along with the National Transportation Safety Board.