PA28 trainee taxied into an irregular area and had propeller strike on ground.

Attributes
ACN	444026
Time
Date	199906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hdh.airport
State Reference	HI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 344 flight time type : 16
ASRS Report	444026
Person 2
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical excursion : taxiway
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On jun/xa/99, my student and I were practicing takeoffs and lndgs at hdh (dillingham airfield). After a short field landing, I instructed the student to taxi off the runway to get back to takeoff. My student accidentally taxied onto an uneven area. The event happened so quickly, I was not able to recover the aircraft. Realizing we may have had a propeller strike, I taxied to a clear, paved, area, got out, inspected the propeller, and discovered 2 small nicks at end of the propeller. In my judgement the aircraft was still airworthy. After inspection, we departed hdh to hnl. Upon arrival, I queried the maintenance technician about the nicks and he thought he would be able to buff and file it out. Later on that day the flight school manager decided to replace the propeller. I am writing this report to show how quickly an event can occur and the importance of an instructor being aware of his student's every actions. In retrospect, due to the propeller being replaced, I question myself now whether the propeller was airworthy. I feel now that any nick or scratch would require a mechanic's opinion before flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 TRAINEE TAXIED INTO AN IRREGULAR AREA AND HAD PROP STRIKE ON GND.

Narrative: ON JUN/XA/99, MY STUDENT AND I WERE PRACTICING TKOFS AND LNDGS AT HDH (DILLINGHAM AIRFIELD). AFTER A SHORT FIELD LNDG, I INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO TAXI OFF THE RWY TO GET BACK TO TKOF. MY STUDENT ACCIDENTALLY TAXIED ONTO AN UNEVEN AREA. THE EVENT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO RECOVER THE ACFT. REALIZING WE MAY HAVE HAD A PROP STRIKE, I TAXIED TO A CLR, PAVED, AREA, GOT OUT, INSPECTED THE PROP, AND DISCOVERED 2 SMALL NICKS AT END OF THE PROP. IN MY JUDGEMENT THE ACFT WAS STILL AIRWORTHY. AFTER INSPECTION, WE DEPARTED HDH TO HNL. UPON ARR, I QUERIED THE MAINT TECHNICIAN ABOUT THE NICKS AND HE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO BUFF AND FILE IT OUT. LATER ON THAT DAY THE FLT SCHOOL MGR DECIDED TO REPLACE THE PROP. I AM WRITING THIS RPT TO SHOW HOW QUICKLY AN EVENT CAN OCCUR AND THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INSTRUCTOR BEING AWARE OF HIS STUDENT'S EVERY ACTIONS. IN RETROSPECT, DUE TO THE PROP BEING REPLACED, I QUESTION MYSELF NOW WHETHER THE PROP WAS AIRWORTHY. I FEEL NOW THAT ANY NICK OR SCRATCH WOULD REQUIRE A MECH'S OPINION BEFORE FLT.

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.