Narrative:

I worked on an E8 check on saab 340 aircraft xyz on my shift of jan/xx/98. I was given r-hand engine section. When I returned on my next shift, I was given a memo and I will state what it said: 'last night an E8 check was performed on aircraft xyz. At approximately XX00 today the aircraft returned and it was discovered the r-hand panel on the top of the engine (panel 461AT) was unsecured. The forward most inboard cam lock and the cam lock above it were popped up allowing the heads to chew 3/8 of an inch off all 4 blades on the trailing lower edge of the propeller. The aircraft was removed from service. The fasteners were inspected by myself and found to be without flaw. From ZZZ, assistant maintenance manager.' this is the extent of what I know. I did not see the plane in question, saab 340 xyz. The incident report I made out was to this effect: 'I placed panel 461AT in place and turned all cam locks completely until they were locked down in place and were flush to the surface of the panel.' I remember putting the panel on and I remember checking it for security. Beyond that, I don't know what else I can say at this time. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the panel is 8 inches wide and is located on the right engine upper forward surface inboard and outboard sides just aft of the propeller spinner. The reporter said the 2 most forward cam lock fasteners that were loose gouged out a .375 inch area of the propeller blades when in the feather position. The reporter stated the fasteners were tight and flush and the inspector verified the closure. The reporter said this incident of the loose camlocks damaging the propeller blades is not uncommon. The reporter said contact has been made by the FAA. Supplemental information from acn 391868: at the time of inspection, panel was installed securely with fasteners flush against the panel. Callback conversation with reporter of acn 391868 revealed the following information: the reporter stated the panel is located just aft of the propeller spinner and covers 180 degrees of the top nacelle and is made of a composite material and fastened with cam locks. The reporter stated the rotation of the propeller blade going into feather tends to lift or gouge this panel as evidenced by inspecting other aircraft. The reporter said the FAA has been in contact and is planning a hearing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SAAB 340B INCURRED DAMAGE TO THE R ENG PROP DUE TO 2 TOP NACELLE PANEL CAM LOCK FASTENERS BEING LOOSE AND RUBBING THE PROP WHEN IN THE FEATHER POS.

Narrative: I WORKED ON AN E8 CHK ON SAAB 340 ACFT XYZ ON MY SHIFT OF JAN/XX/98. I WAS GIVEN R-HAND ENG SECTION. WHEN I RETURNED ON MY NEXT SHIFT, I WAS GIVEN A MEMO AND I WILL STATE WHAT IT SAID: 'LAST NIGHT AN E8 CHK WAS PERFORMED ON ACFT XYZ. AT APPROX XX00 TODAY THE ACFT RETURNED AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THE R-HAND PANEL ON THE TOP OF THE ENG (PANEL 461AT) WAS UNSECURED. THE FORWARD MOST INBOARD CAM LOCK AND THE CAM LOCK ABOVE IT WERE POPPED UP ALLOWING THE HEADS TO CHEW 3/8 OF AN INCH OFF ALL 4 BLADES ON THE TRAILING LOWER EDGE OF THE PROP. THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM SVC. THE FASTENERS WERE INSPECTED BY MYSELF AND FOUND TO BE WITHOUT FLAW. FROM ZZZ, ASSISTANT MAINT MGR.' THIS IS THE EXTENT OF WHAT I KNOW. I DID NOT SEE THE PLANE IN QUESTION, SAAB 340 XYZ. THE INCIDENT RPT I MADE OUT WAS TO THIS EFFECT: 'I PLACED PANEL 461AT IN PLACE AND TURNED ALL CAM LOCKS COMPLETELY UNTIL THEY WERE LOCKED DOWN IN PLACE AND WERE FLUSH TO THE SURFACE OF THE PANEL.' I REMEMBER PUTTING THE PANEL ON AND I REMEMBER CHKING IT FOR SECURITY. BEYOND THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I CAN SAY AT THIS TIME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE PANEL IS 8 INCHES WIDE AND IS LOCATED ON THE R ENG UPPER FORWARD SURFACE INBOARD AND OUTBOARD SIDES JUST AFT OF THE PROP SPINNER. THE RPTR SAID THE 2 MOST FORWARD CAM LOCK FASTENERS THAT WERE LOOSE GOUGED OUT A .375 INCH AREA OF THE PROP BLADES WHEN IN THE FEATHER POS. THE RPTR STATED THE FASTENERS WERE TIGHT AND FLUSH AND THE INSPECTOR VERIFIED THE CLOSURE. THE RPTR SAID THIS INCIDENT OF THE LOOSE CAMLOCKS DAMAGING THE PROP BLADES IS NOT UNCOMMON. THE RPTR SAID CONTACT HAS BEEN MADE BY THE FAA. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 391868: AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION, PANEL WAS INSTALLED SECURELY WITH FASTENERS FLUSH AGAINST THE PANEL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR OF ACN 391868 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE PANEL IS LOCATED JUST AFT OF THE PROP SPINNER AND COVERS 180 DEGS OF THE TOP NACELLE AND IS MADE OF A COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND FASTENED WITH CAM LOCKS. THE RPTR STATED THE ROTATION OF THE PROP BLADE GOING INTO FEATHER TENDS TO LIFT OR GOUGE THIS PANEL AS EVIDENCED BY INSPECTING OTHER ACFT. THE RPTR SAID THE FAA HAS BEEN IN CONTACT AND IS PLANNING A HEARING.

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.