<< >> NASA ASRS Report 715392, October 2006

A PA28-235 incurred damage to the propeller spinner when the engine was started with the engine nose cowl protective plugs installed.

Attributes
ACN	715392
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 239 flight time type : 153
ASRS Report	715392
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

FBO in ZZZ conducted an oil change on oct/thu/06; on my aircraft. The mechanic conducting the oil change failed to remove the engine cowl protective plugs and started the engine. A corner of the spinner was bent as a result. Inspections are forthcoming to determine if additional damage occurred. The oil change was completed; and the aircraft was put back on line without notifying me of the mishap. I conducted a preflight inspection on oct/sat/06; and did not notice the damage to the spinner; and flew the aircraft from ZZZ to ZZZ1 and back that day. No accident or incident occurred during the flight. I noticed the damage to the aircraft the following day while conducting a preflight inspection for another flight. FBO then admitted to the mishap.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28-235 INCURRED DAMAGE TO THE PROP SPINNER WHEN THE ENG WAS STARTED WITH THE ENG NOSE COWL PROTECTIVE PLUGS INSTALLED.

Narrative: FBO IN ZZZ CONDUCTED AN OIL CHANGE ON OCT/THU/06; ON MY ACFT. THE MECH CONDUCTING THE OIL CHANGE FAILED TO REMOVE THE ENG COWL PROTECTIVE PLUGS AND STARTED THE ENG. A CORNER OF THE SPINNER WAS BENT AS A RESULT. INSPECTIONS ARE FORTHCOMING TO DETERMINE IF ADDITIONAL DAMAGE OCCURRED. THE OIL CHANGE WAS COMPLETED; AND THE ACFT WAS PUT BACK ON LINE WITHOUT NOTIFYING ME OF THE MISHAP. I CONDUCTED A PREFLT INSPECTION ON OCT/SAT/06; AND DID NOT NOTICE THE DAMAGE TO THE SPINNER; AND FLEW THE ACFT FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 AND BACK THAT DAY. NO ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE FLT. I NOTICED THE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE CONDUCTING A PREFLT INSPECTION FOR ANOTHER FLT. FBO THEN ADMITTED TO THE MISHAP.

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.