Prop Strikes

wrote in message
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.

I had two prop strikes on a twin when the nose gear wouldn't come down and I
had to land on the mains. Will never forget the tick-tick-tick of the prop
tips on the concrete. Or the short rollout. Or the jaunty angle when
deplaning.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Anyone else here ever experience one? How did yours happen?
Mine have been ag related and hit ground, rocks, birds, and ?
Ever throw off a piece of the prop blade? I lost a piece during
climbout of a jungle strip in the Amazon in a C-185. Managed to dead
stick it back without any further damage but it took nearly two months
to get a replacement. IN the meantime, I used a field expedient and cut
off an equal amount from the other blade. We were about 200 miles from
civilization on the Rio Curaray.
Ah the fun old days....
Ol S&B

wrote in
oups.com:

Anyone else here ever experience one?
Yeh.

How did yours happen?
The airport decided to construct a concrete drainage depression across
the taxiway.

John
In that same vein, with winter conditions, how about the frozen humps
from snow plows that are waiting to get the nose gear struts with
attendant prop strikes or linkage damage?
Owwww
Ol S&B

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 05:50:38 -0000, John Godwin
wrote:

wrote in
roups.com:

Anyone else here ever experience one?
Yeh.

How did yours happen?
The airport decided to construct a concrete drainage depression across
the taxiway.

They have one here at COS, just like that, and it gets someone it
seems atleast once a year.


Scott D

To email remove spamcatcher

On 25 Jan 2005 16:11:39 -0800, wrote:

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

My instructor was explaining how to make a wheel landing. I just
planted the thang too dang hard. I heard this whup! but we both
thought it was just the bungee cords complaining: it was a very firm
landing.

"I'll take it around, and you follow me on the controls," says he.

So we did. Then I taxied up to the pump and shut down, and I tell you,
it is a sinking feeling to gaze at your prop and notice that the ends
have somewhat melted and are curving in toward the cockpit.

There wasn't the slightest vibration, or loss in performance that
either of us noticed on that last circuit.

No damage to the engine, and as commander of the aircraft, the
instructor's insurance company had the privilege of paying for the
prop.

My technique has improved a lot since then.




-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...
On 25 Jan 2005 16:11:39 -0800, wrote:

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

My instructor was explaining how to make a wheel landing. I just
planted the thang too dang hard. I heard this whup! but we both
thought it was just the bungee cords complaining: it was a very firm
landing.

"I'll take it around, and you follow me on the controls," says he.

So we did. Then I taxied up to the pump and shut down, and I tell you,
it is a sinking feeling to gaze at your prop and notice that the ends
have somewhat melted and are curving in toward the cockpit.

There wasn't the slightest vibration, or loss in performance that
either of us noticed on that last circuit.

No damage to the engine, and as commander of the aircraft, the
instructor's insurance company had the privilege of paying for the
prop.

My technique has improved a lot since then.

As has the instructor's I hope. The decision to go around after he heard
the "whump" was in my opinion anyway, a bad one.
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/CFI Retired
for private email; make necessary changes between ( )
dhenriques(at)(delete all this)earthlink(dot)net

Dan
I had a similar landing incident when the very experienced ag pilot in
the front seat "stuck" the aircraft with positive forward stick on
touchdown and put sand marks about 6" up the prop blade and bent the
blades. We didn't follow up with any take off though. He was using his
usual technique of forward stick with the Stearman he had been using
for spraying and this time it didn't work on the Champion Scout we were
flying. I was showing him the aircraft and it was his first flight in
it. There is more to the story and in retrospect it's humorous but
nontheless serious.
Ol S&B

wrote in message
oups.com...
Anyone else here ever experience one? How did yours happen?
Mine have been ag related and hit ground, rocks, birds, and ?
Ever throw off a piece of the prop blade? I lost a piece during
climbout of a jungle strip in the Amazon in a C-185. Managed to dead
stick it back without any further damage but it took nearly two months
to get a replacement. IN the meantime, I used a field expedient and
cut
off an equal amount from the other blade. We were about 200 miles from
civilization on the Rio Curaray.
Ah the fun old days....
Ol S&B


My prop strike was in an ultralight, an Sorrell SNS-8, in Billings. I
was practicing short field landings (for going into rancher friends'
strips) and braked too hard. Slowly...over it went. Cost about $500 in
(2-cycle) engine repairs, plus a new prop.

John Lowry
Flight Physics

Upper Cowl separated on one side on my Arrow in flight - wind blew it
up on the windshield and since the other side remained attached, it
twisted and put about a 1/8 inch dent in the back of both blades.
Mechanic insisted I tear the whole #$&$ engine apart. One blade turned
out to be out of spec, couldn't find replacement 2blade prop, ta da ta
da da da. That's how it goes with airplanes. At least I know the
engine is nice & clean inside and the new 3 blade prop looks nice.