Event ATL95LA063

Factual narrative

On March 10, 1995, at 1020 central standard time, the flight instructor of a Cessna 172L, N4383Q, was seriously injured when he was struck by the propeller during ground start at Smyrna, Tennessee. A dual student pilot, who was in the left, front seat, was not injured. The aircraft was not damaged. The aircraft was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 by Geoffrey C. Boshier, of Greenbrier, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local, instructional flight. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The flight instructor reported that he was "hand propping" the engine due to an inoperative starter solenoid. He covered the procedures for hand starting the engine, including hand signals for communication, and the dual student worked the cockpit controls. The first start attempt was unsuccessful. While positioning the propeller for the second start attempt, the flight instructor slightly moved the propeller without any hand signals being given, and the engine fired. The propeller struck him, breaking his right arm, and injuring his right leg. The flight instructor believed that the ignition switch was not returned to the "off" position after the first start attempt. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS 'HAND PROPPING' THE ENGINE DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE STARTER SOLENOID. HIS STUDENT WAS IN THE LEFT COCKPIT SEAT, WORKING THE ENGINE CONTROLS. THE FIRST START ATTEMPT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE INSTRUCTOR POSITIONED THE PROP FOR THE SECOND ATTEMPT, AND THE ENGINE FIRED. NO HAND SIGNALS WERE GIVEN PRIOR TO THE SECOND START ATTEMPT. THE PROPELLER CONTACTED THE INSTRUCTOR'S ARM AND LEG, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES. THE INSTRUCTOR BELIEVES THAT THE STUDENT DID NOT RETURN THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION AFTER THE FIRST START ATTEMPT, CONTRARY TO WHAT WAS BRIEFED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12