# NTSB ATL95LA143: Cessna 172N, N5415J, Kill Devil Hill, NC, July 25, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 25, 1995, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Kill Devil Hill, NC - Coordinates: 36.070304, -75.709472 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0703&lon=-75.7095&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 6, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3601 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL95LA143 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3601/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL95LA143 ## Probable cause The attempt by the pilots to perform the unfamiliar procedure of starting the airplane's engine by hand. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Propeller/rotor contact to person, standing - starting procedure - improper, pilot in command (cause) - starting procedure - improper, unqualified person (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT HAD RENTED THE AIRPLANE FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT TO KITTY HAWK. AFTER LANDING, THE MASTER SWITCH WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT IN THE 'ON' POSITION, WHILE THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGERS WERE SIGHTSEEING. WHEN THEY RETURNED TO THE AIRPLANE, THE BATTERY WAS TOO WEAK TO START THE ENGINE. A LOCAL AIR TOUR PILOT AGREED TO ASSIST WITH HAND STARTING THE ENGINE, SINCE THERE WERE NO SERVICES AT THE AIRSTRIP. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO PLACE THE MASTER SWITCH IN THE 'ON' POSITION. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ASSISTING PILOT CAME TO THE COCKPIT DOOR TO VERIFY THAT THE MASTER SWITCH WAS IN THE 'ON' POSITION. THE PILOT ASKED WHERE THE IGNITION SWITCH SHOULD BE, AND WAS TOLD IT SHOULD BE IN THE 'START' POSITION. WHEN THE PROPELLER WAS NEXT MOVED, THE ENGINE STARTED, AND THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE ASSISTING PILOT, BREAKING HIS HAND. ## Factual narrative On July 25, 1995, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a bystander, who was a pilot, and who was assisting in starting the airplane, was struck by the propeller of a Cessna 172N, N2415J. The flight was originating at First Flight Airport, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The bystander was seriously injured. There were no injuries to the private pilot, nor his two passengers, and the airplane was not damaged. The airplane was operated by Carolina Air Services, Inc., under 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. The pilot had rented the airplane and flown from New Bern, North Carolina, to Kitty Hawk. While sightseeing, the master switch was inadvertently left in the "on" position. When the pilot returned, the battery had insufficient output voltage to start the airplane. A local pilot agreed to help start the airplane by hand. According to the pilot of the accident flight, the bystander told him to place the master switch in the "on" or "off" position, when instructed, and call out its position in reply. The initial attempts to start the airplane were unsuccessful. The assisting pilot stepped to the cockpit door to verify that the master switch was in the "on" position. The accident pilot asked where the ignition switch should be, and was told to place the ignition switch in the "start" position, as normal. When released, the switch was in the "both" position. As the bystander moved the propeller again, the engine fired. His hand was struck and broken by the propeller. ## Aircraft - Registration: N5415J (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Category: Airplane - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Seth O. Medlin - Registered owner: Carolina Air Services, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: FFA - Destination: MQI, MANTEO, NC - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: FFA, First Flight ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 299 total, 6 in this make and model, 226 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 20 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken - Temperature: 84 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MQI ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950725048989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950725048989A), Jul 25, 1995: Cessna 172, Kittyhawk, NC, No damage. (-16) Master switch had been left on running aircraft battery down. During hand propping operation the engine fired and the prop struck the mechanic on the… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.