NTSB Identification: ERA13LA075
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, December 02, 2012 in Albemarle, NC
Aircraft: CESSNA 172F, registration: N8475U
Injuries: 1 Serious,1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On December 2, 2012, about 1315 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N8475U, sustained minor damage and a student pilot received a serious ground injury when his left arm came into contact with the propeller following engine start on a ramp at Stanly County Airport (VUJ), Albemarle, North Carolina. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) was not injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated by Pressley Aviation under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight destined for Goose Creek Airport (28A), Indian Trail, North Carolina.

According to the CFI and the operator, the flight departed 28A about 1030 and flew to VUJ. After practicing touch and go landings the CFI and student performed a full stop landing, taxied to the ramp, and the airplane was shut-down. About 15 minutes later both pilots returned to the airplane for another flight and possible solo flight for the student pilot; however, the engine would not start and the airplane's battery was depleted. The owner of the flight school connected an external battery supply and the airplane's engine was started. The CFI climbed into the airplane after the engine start and idled the engine for about one minute while the owner secured the cowling, the student pilot remained outside and aft of the airplane. Then, the owner of the flight school and the CFI heard a sound from the engine and noticed the student pilot running from the front of the airplane. Subsequently the engine was shutdown and the student pilot assisted. The student pilot was transported via ambulance to hospital emergency care.

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