Aircraft with composite propeller hits plastic traffic cone with propeller on taxi out, returns to r...

Attributes
ACN	113631
Time
Date	198906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : efd
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 2900
ASRS Report	113631
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Without making lots of excuses I failed to remove a orange plastic cone that was placed approximately 5-7' in front of the plane. I taxied out and got an IFR clearance and taxi instruction to runway 22. About halfway there, ground control said the people on the ramp had called and asked me to return to the ramp. A couple of guys and another pilot met me and told me I had hit the cone, which I was unaware of. I didn't hear it, see it or feel it. But after examining the propeller very carefully, the only evidence we could find was a mark on the back half of 2 blades about 10 inches from the tip. The marks appeared to be a orange wax substance that could be scraped off with your fingernails. There appeared to be no damage, so I taxied out paying close attention to any vibration or engine indication. I also did a static runup. I took off and flew to bpt. Next day I had an a&I inspect the propeller by taking the spinner off to check the propeller hub. A hairline crack was found on a blade and a replacement was put on. It was a composite propeller and I was unaware of how critical they are against even a minor propeller strike. Would a bird strike be as bad?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WITH COMPOSITE PROPELLER HITS PLASTIC TRAFFIC CONE WITH PROPELLER ON TAXI OUT, RETURNS TO RAMP FOR INSPECTION. VERY FAINT ORANGE MARKS ON 2 BLADES ONLY EVIDENCE ON CONTACT. PLT HAS MECHANIC PULL SPINNER OFF NEXT DAY, HAIRLINE CRACK DISCOVERED, PROPELLER REPLACED.

Narrative: WITHOUT MAKING LOTS OF EXCUSES I FAILED TO REMOVE A ORANGE PLASTIC CONE THAT WAS PLACED APPROX 5-7' IN FRONT OF THE PLANE. I TAXIED OUT AND GOT AN IFR CLRNC AND TAXI INSTRUCTION TO RWY 22. ABOUT HALFWAY THERE, GND CTL SAID THE PEOPLE ON THE RAMP HAD CALLED AND ASKED ME TO RETURN TO THE RAMP. A COUPLE OF GUYS AND ANOTHER PLT MET ME AND TOLD ME I HAD HIT THE CONE, WHICH I WAS UNAWARE OF. I DIDN'T HEAR IT, SEE IT OR FEEL IT. BUT AFTER EXAMINING THE PROP VERY CAREFULLY, THE ONLY EVIDENCE WE COULD FIND WAS A MARK ON THE BACK HALF OF 2 BLADES ABOUT 10 INCHES FROM THE TIP. THE MARKS APPEARED TO BE A ORANGE WAX SUBSTANCE THAT COULD BE SCRAPED OFF WITH YOUR FINGERNAILS. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO DAMAGE, SO I TAXIED OUT PAYING CLOSE ATTN TO ANY VIBRATION OR ENGINE INDICATION. I ALSO DID A STATIC RUNUP. I TOOK OFF AND FLEW TO BPT. NEXT DAY I HAD AN A&I INSPECT THE PROP BY TAKING THE SPINNER OFF TO CHECK THE PROP HUB. A HAIRLINE CRACK WAS FOUND ON A BLADE AND A REPLACEMENT WAS PUT ON. IT WAS A COMPOSITE PROP AND I WAS UNAWARE OF HOW CRITICAL THEY ARE AGAINST EVEN A MINOR PROP STRIKE. WOULD A BIRD STRIKE BE AS BAD?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Aircraft with composite propeller hits plastic traffic cone with propeller on taxi out, returns to ramp for inspection. Very faint orange marks on 2 blades only evidence on contact. Pilot has mechanic pull spinner off next day, hairline crack discovered, propeller replaced.