Prop failure rates

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
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Dave Taylor
Anyone seen any stats on accident/incidents relating to prop failures especially undamaged ones; ie wear, metal fatigue, and corrosion only?
 
Never seen a failure, aside from a prop strike, seen a few which needed adjustments or to be dressed, seen a few start to leak down the backside of the blades.

Seems most of the full blown failures are on race planes.
 
Just wondering about the usual mfg recommended overhaul suggestions vs what the FAA allows, and the whole Manifesto stance.
Couldn't recall any stories even, of undamaged props failing due to the three things I noted.
 
IRAN for pt91 FTW.
 
Dave,

Just a data point.

Mine was sent out to the prop shop when the engine came off for OH. It needed nothing but a reseal.

12 yo Hartzell Top Prop. First time it's been off the plane since new.
 
Had a leading edge separation,while IMC ,on an MT composite. Recommended that you don't fly the composite in the rain,have had to rebuild or overhaul the prop three times in 1000 hrs.
 
3 times in 1000 hours? That's unacceptable. I'd trade it for something else.
 
James331 said:
Never seen a failure, aside from a prop strike, seen a few which needed adjustments or to be dressed, seen a few start to leak down the backside of the blades.

Seems most of the full blown failures are on race planes.
Click to expand...

But, it happens on rare occasions to non-racers... had it happen to me on a Cessna 310R. I was doing the night freight canceled check thing, launched out of St Paul (STP) and the prop came apart as the gear was retracting. What a racket it made as it came apart, tore a hole thru the nose of the plane and tried to pull the engine out of the mount... yikes. I got really lucky and was able to land back at the departure airport. The plane itself was a '77 with 12,000 plus hours on it; damage was such that the ship was totalled, hauled out on a truck.

The failure was in the hub, apparently was an internal crack between two blade shanks, so the hub split open and tossed two blades, but one stayed attached and was able to feather. As I recall this incident became the basis for an AD on the stock McCauley prop.

NTSB report link below;
http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001212X18432&key=1
 
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