Propeller engine damage for commuter light transport at bwi upon start-up due unremoved propeller re...

Attributes
ACN	163540
Time
Date	199011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	163540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 700
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Flight bwi to jfk. Walk-around of aircraft was completed 45 mins prior to departure. Shortly after, I went into the ramp personnel room to get someone to give us an engine start. One of the ramp personnel followed me out to the aircraft. After completing appropriate checklist, I indicated to the ramp attendant that I wanted to start #2 engine. He signaled me it was clear to start. My first officer stated the power cart and tug was in close proximity of the engine. I asked if it was far enough away from the start. He said it was. As I started the engine, I heard a loud bang. I looked out the windshield to find the ramp personnel walking away. I stopped the engine start immediately. Upon inspection of the right engine it was found the ramp person had never removed the propeller strap, but cleared us to start the engine. Inspection by maintenance at bwi indicated damage to propeller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROPELLER ENGINE DAMAGE FOR COMMUTER LTT AT BWI UPON START-UP DUE UNREMOVED PROPELLER RETENTION STRAP.

Narrative: FLT BWI TO JFK. WALK-AROUND OF ACFT WAS COMPLETED 45 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. SHORTLY AFTER, I WENT INTO THE RAMP PERSONNEL ROOM TO GET SOMEONE TO GIVE US AN ENG START. ONE OF THE RAMP PERSONNEL FOLLOWED ME OUT TO THE ACFT. AFTER COMPLETING APPROPRIATE CHKLIST, I INDICATED TO THE RAMP ATTENDANT THAT I WANTED TO START #2 ENG. HE SIGNALED ME IT WAS CLR TO START. MY F/O STATED THE PWR CART AND TUG WAS IN CLOSE PROX OF THE ENG. I ASKED IF IT WAS FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE START. HE SAID IT WAS. AS I STARTED THE ENG, I HEARD A LOUD BANG. I LOOKED OUT THE WINDSHIELD TO FIND THE RAMP PERSONNEL WALKING AWAY. I STOPPED THE ENG START IMMEDIATELY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT ENG IT WAS FOUND THE RAMP PERSON HAD NEVER REMOVED THE PROP STRAP, BUT CLRED US TO START THE ENG. INSPECTION BY MAINT AT BWI INDICATED DAMAGE TO PROP.

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.

Propeller engine damage for commuter light transport at bwi upon start-up due unremoved propeller retention strap.