Prop Strikes

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Anyone else here ever experience one? How did yours happen?

Fly long enough and something will hit the fan.
I was taxiing out to the runway after a torrential downpour flooded the
ramp. I taxiied on the high spots at minimum power just in case. At minimum
power (flat pitch) the blade tips are actually causing reverse thrust
because of the twist in the blades. I thought I had missed the standing
water and the plane flew normally for the rest of the day (10 legs).

During a maintenance inspection that evening, I put a protractor on the
blades and they were indeed twisted more than the factory meant for them to
be. I had caught the blade tips in the water and the reverse angle of the
blade tips caused the blades to twist ever so slightly. The prop overhaul
with 4 new blades and an engine gearbox teardown came to around $24k not
including loss of use and the mechanics' salaries. The prop shop mentioned
that if I had not exercised caution by using minimum power, the blade tips
would have been nearly flat and wouldn't have twisted the blades. I've been
careful to be uncareful ever since.

D.