Propeller strike on an obstruction cone by a C172 when departing the ramp.

Attributes
ACN	620093
Time
Date	200406
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sba.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 974.8 flight time type : 798.4
ASRS Report	620693
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I struck a cone with my propeller while taxiing out of the ramp. The cone was placed 15 ft in front of my aircraft by ramp personnel to verify that it had been checked in. The propeller struck the cone 3 times at 1100 RPM. On the third strike, it flung the cone into the parked aircraft, 25 ft to the left of mine. It struck the cowling of the other aircraft, but no one was hurt. I test flew my aircraft with no passenger and complied with all airworthiness directives concerning engine and propeller with propeller strikes. I made a thorough preflight of the aircraft before the incident. The most important contributing factor was that on the preflight, I did not check the area in front of the propeller for debris. When taxiing from where the aircraft was parked, I could not see the cone from the cockpit. As an instructor, I will emphasize to my students how important it is to not only preflight the aircraft, but also its surroundings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROP STRIKE ON AN OBSTRUCTION CONE BY A C172 WHEN DEPARTING THE RAMP.

Narrative: I STRUCK A CONE WITH MY PROP WHILE TAXIING OUT OF THE RAMP. THE CONE WAS PLACED 15 FT IN FRONT OF MY ACFT BY RAMP PERSONNEL TO VERIFY THAT IT HAD BEEN CHKED IN. THE PROP STRUCK THE CONE 3 TIMES AT 1100 RPM. ON THE THIRD STRIKE, IT FLUNG THE CONE INTO THE PARKED ACFT, 25 FT TO THE L OF MINE. IT STRUCK THE COWLING OF THE OTHER ACFT, BUT NO ONE WAS HURT. I TEST FLEW MY ACFT WITH NO PAX AND COMPLIED WITH ALL AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES CONCERNING ENG AND PROP WITH PROP STRIKES. I MADE A THOROUGH PREFLT OF THE ACFT BEFORE THE INCIDENT. THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT ON THE PREFLT, I DID NOT CHK THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE PROP FOR DEBRIS. WHEN TAXIING FROM WHERE THE ACFT WAS PARKED, I COULD NOT SEE THE CONE FROM THE COCKPIT. AS AN INSTRUCTOR, I WILL EMPHASIZE TO MY STUDENTS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO NOT ONLY PREFLT THE ACFT, BUT ALSO ITS SURROUNDINGS.

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.