Narrative:

After departure from kenai airport, about 8 NM north during leveloff, the #2 blue beta light illuminated. I call for the checklist. During the time the first officer got the checklist out the #2 propeller started to go into reverse. I then completed the phase I items to reduce power and feather the propeller. Upon looking at the beta system malfunction checklist, and the propeller reversal in-flight checklists caused confusion. The beta malfunction checklist tells you to wait and make sure the beta light is either steady or flashing. Unless you are trained to know that the propeller will start to go into reverse with the steady blue light, when you wait to see what the light will do and before the circuit breaker is pulled, it has been mistaken for a propeller reversal in-flight. Previous complete engine shutdowns have occurred because of this confusion. Also, on the emergency checklist the memory items are power level idle, propeller feather. In our flight standards manual it also tells you -- fuel off. In my training they just tell you, when you get a blue beta light pull the beta system circuit breaker (if not a memory item). In my dash 8 training you use the checklist, in the twin otter the beta malfunctions are not a memory item. In talking to others I was not the first to be confused. Some senior capts didn't even know the propeller starts to reverse, they just pulled the circuit breaker. My chief pilot's response to this was 'I would have thought you would have figured it out.' I also went to fill out a report and my chief pilot said don't worry about. If I would have done it, I would have gotten into trouble.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC6 IN CRUISE AT 3500 FT HAD THE #2 ENG PROP GO INTO REVERSE THRUST. CHKLISTS FOR PROP SYS MALFUNCTIONS WHEN USED WERE FOUND TO BE CONFUSING.

Narrative: AFTER DEP FROM KENAI ARPT, ABOUT 8 NM N DURING LEVELOFF, THE #2 BLUE BETA LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I CALL FOR THE CHKLIST. DURING THE TIME THE FO GOT THE CHKLIST OUT THE #2 PROP STARTED TO GO INTO REVERSE. I THEN COMPLETED THE PHASE I ITEMS TO REDUCE PWR AND FEATHER THE PROP. UPON LOOKING AT THE BETA SYS MALFUNCTION CHKLIST, AND THE PROP REVERSAL INFLT CHKLISTS CAUSED CONFUSION. THE BETA MALFUNCTION CHKLIST TELLS YOU TO WAIT AND MAKE SURE THE BETA LIGHT IS EITHER STEADY OR FLASHING. UNLESS YOU ARE TRAINED TO KNOW THAT THE PROP WILL START TO GO INTO REVERSE WITH THE STEADY BLUE LIGHT, WHEN YOU WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE LIGHT WILL DO AND BEFORE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IS PULLED, IT HAS BEEN MISTAKEN FOR A PROP REVERSAL INFLT. PREVIOUS COMPLETE ENG SHUTDOWNS HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS CONFUSION. ALSO, ON THE EMER CHKLIST THE MEMORY ITEMS ARE PWR LEVEL IDLE, PROP FEATHER. IN OUR FLT STANDARDS MANUAL IT ALSO TELLS YOU -- FUEL OFF. IN MY TRAINING THEY JUST TELL YOU, WHEN YOU GET A BLUE BETA LIGHT PULL THE BETA SYS CIRCUIT BREAKER (IF NOT A MEMORY ITEM). IN MY DASH 8 TRAINING YOU USE THE CHKLIST, IN THE TWIN OTTER THE BETA MALFUNCTIONS ARE NOT A MEMORY ITEM. IN TALKING TO OTHERS I WAS NOT THE FIRST TO BE CONFUSED. SOME SENIOR CAPTS DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE PROP STARTS TO REVERSE, THEY JUST PULLED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. MY CHIEF PLT'S RESPONSE TO THIS WAS 'I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAVE FIGURED IT OUT.' I ALSO WENT TO FILL OUT A RPT AND MY CHIEF PLT SAID DON'T WORRY ABOUT. IF I WOULD HAVE DONE IT, I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO TROUBLE.

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.