Pilot reports engine vibration on climb out after practice emergency landing on dry lake bed. Aircra...

Attributes
ACN	741557
Time
Date	200706
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 395 flight time type : 103
ASRS Report	741557
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During shallow climb following several practice emergency approachs to a dry lakebed; the engine started vibrating badly. A 180 degree turn was initiated back to the lake while a scan of the instruments indicated the engine was producing power normally. Once landing on lakebed was assured; propeller was pulled to low RPM and engine was shut down. Dead stick landing followed without further difficulty or damage/injury. Inspection of aircraft revealed the loss of approximately 4 inches of 1 propeller blade. No evidence of bird strike or other impact damage is apparent. Propeller manufacturer has been contacted; propeller section will be provided for analysis. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: postflt revealed that a propeller tip had separated in-flight causing the vibration. The aircraft is routinely operated from dirt strips. However there was no visible damage to the propeller that could have caused the tip to fail. The blade has been returned to the manufacturer and is currently undergoing engineering analysis.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RPTS ENG VIBRATION ON CLBOUT AFTER PRACTICE EMER LNDG ON DRY LAKE BED. ACFT IS RETURNED FOR AN ACTUAL EMER LNDG ON THE DRY LAKE.

Narrative: DURING SHALLOW CLB FOLLOWING SEVERAL PRACTICE EMER APCHS TO A DRY LAKEBED; THE ENG STARTED VIBRATING BADLY. A 180 DEG TURN WAS INITIATED BACK TO THE LAKE WHILE A SCAN OF THE INSTS INDICATED THE ENG WAS PRODUCING PWR NORMALLY. ONCE LNDG ON LAKEBED WAS ASSURED; PROP WAS PULLED TO LOW RPM AND ENG WAS SHUT DOWN. DEAD STICK LNDG FOLLOWED WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTY OR DAMAGE/INJURY. INSPECTION OF ACFT REVEALED THE LOSS OF APPROX 4 INCHES OF 1 PROP BLADE. NO EVIDENCE OF BIRD STRIKE OR OTHER IMPACT DAMAGE IS APPARENT. PROP MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED; PROP SECTION WILL BE PROVIDED FOR ANALYSIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: POSTFLT REVEALED THAT A PROP TIP HAD SEPARATED INFLT CAUSING THE VIBRATION. THE ACFT IS ROUTINELY OPERATED FROM DIRT STRIPS. HOWEVER THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE PROP THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE TIP TO FAIL. THE BLADE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE MANUFACTURER AND IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.

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.

Pilot reports engine vibration on climb out after practice emergency landing on dry lake bed. Aircraft is returned for an actual emergency landing on the dry lake.