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Gyroscope plane pilot suspects he is being shot at when his propeller was struck by a bolt coming loose from the starter.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 444141 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199907 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : c92.airport |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 250 agl bound upper : 550 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Experimental |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | approach : visual arrival : vfr |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2750 flight time type : 230 |
| ASRS Report | 444141 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other maintenance problem : improper maintenance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed as precaution |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was performing conventional flight when I felt a propeller strike. I checked for vehicle/control stability and began to turn back to the airport. I felt a second propeller strike (of greater magnitude) that occurred more than 5 seconds after the initial strike. The length of time between strikes caused me to believe I was being shot at by ground fire. The vehicle continued to run smooth with normal control inputs. I quickly climbed to 550 ft and traveled 2 1/2 mi for a straight in approach to runway 36 at mentone airport. A cursory examination supported a possible bullet strike on the propeller. The local sheriff's office was informed of the possible attack. A report was given to the deputy. The vehicle was grounded from further flight at the air show. Further assessment revealed a lost bolt on the starter. The oil cooler is dented in a fashion consistent with this size of bolt. The propeller is dented/deformed consistent with a bolt propeller strike, or a bullet strike. There does not appear to be any other damage/defect to the vehicle. I believe I dropped the bolt through the pusher propeller. I cannot account for the 5 second lapse in strikes. I will keep the vehicle grounded until I, 1) replace the oil cooler, 2) receive the propeller back in an airworthy condition, 3) replace/retorque all of the psrv and starter bolts with a safety wiring method, and 4) note my 'fixes' in the aircraft logbook. I will probably continue to worry about incoming ground fire if I receive 2 propeller strikes with such a 'long' time between hits.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GYROSCOPE PLANE PLT SUSPECTS HE IS BEING SHOT AT WHEN HIS PROP WAS STRUCK BY A BOLT COMING LOOSE FROM THE STARTER.
Narrative: I WAS PERFORMING CONVENTIONAL FLT WHEN I FELT A PROP STRIKE. I CHKED FOR VEHICLE/CTL STABILITY AND BEGAN TO TURN BACK TO THE ARPT. I FELT A SECOND PROP STRIKE (OF GREATER MAGNITUDE) THAT OCCURRED MORE THAN 5 SECONDS AFTER THE INITIAL STRIKE. THE LENGTH OF TIME BTWN STRIKES CAUSED ME TO BELIEVE I WAS BEING SHOT AT BY GND FIRE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN SMOOTH WITH NORMAL CTL INPUTS. I QUICKLY CLBED TO 550 FT AND TRAVELED 2 1/2 MI FOR A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 36 AT MENTONE ARPT. A CURSORY EXAMINATION SUPPORTED A POSSIBLE BULLET STRIKE ON THE PROP. THE LCL SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS INFORMED OF THE POSSIBLE ATTACK. A RPT WAS GIVEN TO THE DEPUTY. THE VEHICLE WAS GROUNDED FROM FURTHER FLT AT THE AIR SHOW. FURTHER ASSESSMENT REVEALED A LOST BOLT ON THE STARTER. THE OIL COOLER IS DENTED IN A FASHION CONSISTENT WITH THIS SIZE OF BOLT. THE PROP IS DENTED/DEFORMED CONSISTENT WITH A BOLT PROP STRIKE, OR A BULLET STRIKE. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY OTHER DAMAGE/DEFECT TO THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE I DROPPED THE BOLT THROUGH THE PUSHER PROP. I CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR THE 5 SECOND LAPSE IN STRIKES. I WILL KEEP THE VEHICLE GROUNDED UNTIL I, 1) REPLACE THE OIL COOLER, 2) RECEIVE THE PROP BACK IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION, 3) REPLACE/RETORQUE ALL OF THE PSRV AND STARTER BOLTS WITH A SAFETY WIRING METHOD, AND 4) NOTE MY 'FIXES' IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK. I WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO WORRY ABOUT INCOMING GND FIRE IF I RECEIVE 2 PROP STRIKES WITH SUCH A 'LONG' TIME BTWN HITS.
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.