Narrative:

Aircraft used for far 141 standardization for myself and another instrument pilot. ATP rated assistant chief flight instrument conducted flight. Uneventful flight was satisfactorily complete at lee full stop. Positive xfer of command was given to the assistant chief flight instrument when aircraft was clear of runway 03. Acfi taxied to departure end of runway 03, where there was a disabled aircraft on left and another parked aircraft on right. Neither was entirely clear of taxiway. After engaging wing tip observer to clear aircraft on left. Acfi swung wide to left in an effort avoid aircraft on right. In doing so left propeller struck taxiway light of the narrow taxiway. Aircraft was shut down to inspect any damage. Left propeller had an approximately 2' gauge. Impact did not brake taxiway light (small paint xfer). I stated to acfi, 'I don't think they'll be able to dress that out.' no reply from acfi. We reboarded aircraft and aircraft performed a runup and feather check on left engine, which were satisfactory, no vibrations noted. Acfi proceeded to depart runway 03. No conversation took place until reaching 2500' en route to sfb (approximately 20 min away). (Left engine flown on 0 thrust setting.) then he instructed me to call maintenance on company frequency and have them standing by, which I did. Sfb tower was informed that we would not be able to go around should such a situation occur landing was uneventful. I allowed assistant chief flight instrument's authority and experience level in that aircraft to override my own instincts and training not to fly the damaged aircraft. I feel had I challenged him on this decision he would not have flown the aircraft. This experience has had a valuable impact on me and will follow me throughout my hopeful airline career as first officer and captain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROPELLER STRIKE DAMAGES PROPELLER ON SMA TWIN DURING TAXI OPERATION. PIC ELECTS TO FLY ACFT TO HOME BASE WITH THE DAMAGED PROPELLER.

Narrative: ACFT USED FOR FAR 141 STANDARDIZATION FOR MYSELF AND ANOTHER INSTR PLT. ATP RATED ASSISTANT CHIEF FLT INSTR CONDUCTED FLT. UNEVENTFUL FLT WAS SATISFACTORILY COMPLETE AT LEE FULL STOP. POSITIVE XFER OF COMMAND WAS GIVEN TO THE ASSISTANT CHIEF FLT INSTR WHEN ACFT WAS CLR OF RWY 03. ACFI TAXIED TO DEP END OF RWY 03, WHERE THERE WAS A DISABLED ACFT ON LEFT AND ANOTHER PARKED ACFT ON RIGHT. NEITHER WAS ENTIRELY CLR OF TXWY. AFTER ENGAGING WING TIP OBSERVER TO CLR ACFT ON LEFT. ACFI SWUNG WIDE TO LEFT IN AN EFFORT AVOID ACFT ON RIGHT. IN DOING SO LEFT PROP STRUCK TXWY LIGHT OF THE NARROW TXWY. ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN TO INSPECT ANY DAMAGE. LEFT PROP HAD AN APPROX 2' GAUGE. IMPACT DID NOT BRAKE TXWY LIGHT (SMALL PAINT XFER). I STATED TO ACFI, 'I DON'T THINK THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DRESS THAT OUT.' NO REPLY FROM ACFI. WE REBOARDED ACFT AND ACFT PERFORMED A RUNUP AND FEATHER CHK ON LEFT ENG, WHICH WERE SATISFACTORY, NO VIBRATIONS NOTED. ACFI PROCEEDED TO DEPART RWY 03. NO CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE UNTIL REACHING 2500' ENRTE TO SFB (APPROX 20 MIN AWAY). (LEFT ENG FLOWN ON 0 THRUST SETTING.) THEN HE INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL MAINT ON COMPANY FREQ AND HAVE THEM STANDING BY, WHICH I DID. SFB TWR WAS INFORMED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO AROUND SHOULD SUCH A SITUATION OCCUR LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I ALLOWED ASSISTANT CHIEF FLT INSTR'S AUTHORITY AND EXPERIENCE LEVEL IN THAT ACFT TO OVERRIDE MY OWN INSTINCTS AND TRNING NOT TO FLY THE DAMAGED ACFT. I FEEL HAD I CHALLENGED HIM ON THIS DECISION HE WOULD NOT HAVE FLOWN THE ACFT. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS HAD A VALUABLE IMPACT ON ME AND WILL FOLLOW ME THROUGHOUT MY HOPEFUL AIRLINE CAREER AS F/O AND CAPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.