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A C177RG in cruise at 7500 experienced slight to moderate vibration. Suspected propeller tape coming off. On ground; found 30% of aluminum spinner missing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 660284 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200506 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 7500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cardinal 177/177RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 660284 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Propeller spinner failed by a portion coming off. It was believed that the slight to moderate vibration that evolved was the propeller leading edge tape coming off; which smoothed out when the loose piece departed the plane. Upon landing at home base; it was discovered that a large portion of the aluminum propeller spinner had broken off. Subsequently; a new composite spinner was ordered and installed (or will be installed) prior to the next flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated a vibration was noted in-flight and the reporter believed it was the propeller tape coming off. A short time and the vibration stopped and it was believed the tape departed the aircraft. On the ground; it was discovered 30% of the spinner was missing. This was a costly incident; as the new composite spinner and mount is expensive.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C177RG IN CRUISE AT 7500 EXPERIENCED SLIGHT TO MODERATE VIBRATION. SUSPECTED PROP TAPE COMING OFF. ON GND; FOUND 30% OF ALUMINUM SPINNER MISSING.
Narrative: PROP SPINNER FAILED BY A PORTION COMING OFF. IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE SLIGHT TO MODERATE VIBRATION THAT EVOLVED WAS THE PROP LEADING EDGE TAPE COMING OFF; WHICH SMOOTHED OUT WHEN THE LOOSE PIECE DEPARTED THE PLANE. UPON LNDG AT HOME BASE; IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A LARGE PORTION OF THE ALUMINUM PROP SPINNER HAD BROKEN OFF. SUBSEQUENTLY; A NEW COMPOSITE SPINNER WAS ORDERED AND INSTALLED (OR WILL BE INSTALLED) PRIOR TO THE NEXT FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED A VIBRATION WAS NOTED INFLT AND THE RPTR BELIEVED IT WAS THE PROP TAPE COMING OFF. A SHORT TIME AND THE VIBRATION STOPPED AND IT WAS BELIEVED THE TAPE DEPARTED THE ACFT. ON THE GND; IT WAS DISCOVERED 30% OF THE SPINNER WAS MISSING. THIS WAS A COSTLY INCIDENT; AS THE NEW COMPOSITE SPINNER AND MOUNT IS EXPENSIVE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.