Narrative:

Within 5 mins of a normal takeoff and climb to 4000 ft, a thud (something like a bird strike) was heard followed by a slight vibration. I decided to return to the airport. The emergency checklist suggested an engine shutdown, but I decided to keep it running because there wasn't enough information to shut it down. All engine parameters were normal at first, after a couple of mins the right torque gauge started to fluctuate a little, but didn't change significantly. Approach and landing was uneventful. After landing I shut the engine down. The first officer could now see that the right propeller had lost about 12 inches of the metal leading edge of the propeller, the thud we heard was where the piece hit the side of the aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 317868: after landing we noticed a propeller leading section on #2 propeller (right engine) missing some nickel leading edge. The postflt inspection revealed 12 inches of the nickel leading edge was missing and struck the aircraft causing 2 marks, 1 minor, the other a significant cut. No injuries or emergency declared. The aircraft was a saab SF340. This propeller is a hamilton standard, quite similar to the kind found on EMB120. Callback conversation with reporter of acn 317868 revealed the following information: contact finally made with first officer. Reporter stated that aircraft had additional damage to the left engine cowling, caused by the separated propeller blade. He also stated that the FAA investigated and inspected the aircraft before it was returned to service. He knew of no other problems since their incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC EXPERIENCES PROP LEADING EDGE SEPARATION.

Narrative: WITHIN 5 MINS OF A NORMAL TKOF AND CLB TO 4000 FT, A THUD (SOMETHING LIKE A BIRD STRIKE) WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY A SLIGHT VIBRATION. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. THE EMER CHKLIST SUGGESTED AN ENG SHUTDOWN, BUT I DECIDED TO KEEP IT RUNNING BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH INFO TO SHUT IT DOWN. ALL ENG PARAMETERS WERE NORMAL AT FIRST, AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS THE R TORQUE GAUGE STARTED TO FLUCTUATE A LITTLE, BUT DIDN'T CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY. APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG I SHUT THE ENG DOWN. THE FO COULD NOW SEE THAT THE R PROP HAD LOST ABOUT 12 INCHES OF THE METAL LEADING EDGE OF THE PROP, THE THUD WE HEARD WAS WHERE THE PIECE HIT THE SIDE OF THE ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 317868: AFTER LNDG WE NOTICED A PROP LEADING SECTION ON #2 PROP (R ENG) MISSING SOME NICKEL LEADING EDGE. THE POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED 12 INCHES OF THE NICKEL LEADING EDGE WAS MISSING AND STRUCK THE ACFT CAUSING 2 MARKS, 1 MINOR, THE OTHER A SIGNIFICANT CUT. NO INJURIES OR EMER DECLARED. THE ACFT WAS A SAAB SF340. THIS PROP IS A HAMILTON STANDARD, QUITE SIMILAR TO THE KIND FOUND ON EMB120. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR OF ACN 317868 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CONTACT FINALLY MADE WITH FO. RPTR STATED THAT ACFT HAD ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE L ENG COWLING, CAUSED BY THE SEPARATED PROP BLADE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE FAA INVESTIGATED AND INSPECTED THE ACFT BEFORE IT WAS RETURNED TO SVC. HE KNEW OF NO OTHER PROBS SINCE THEIR INCIDENT.

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.