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During a postflt inspection a C208 pilot found propeller damage resulting from contact with snow and ice drifts during taxi for takeoff at ewr.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 689182 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200603 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ewr.airport |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Ice Snow |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Caravan 1 208A |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 144 flight time total : 2205 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 689182 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters : fod ground encounters other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Weather Airport |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
Narrative:
As I was taxiing to runway 4L on taxiway pd in ewr; the taxiway was obscured by ice and snow and I couldn't see the taxiway lines or lights. As I was taking the runway for takeoff; I felt a bump as I passed over a pile of snow and ice. I did not think much of it because I was in a hurry to get the freight to ZZZ and I was hitting all kinds of bumps as I taxied over the ice and snow. I took off and everything seemed fine the entire flight to ZZZ. However; when I got to ZZZ and did the postflt inspection; I was shocked when I noticed the propeller had nicks in it. Apparently the propeller had hit the pile of snow and ice and I had no idea it had happened. I immediately called the company and they sent out a mechanic who grounded the airplane. I must also note that I was taxiing at a speed less than 10 KTS (a personal rule of mine on an icy surface). I think this unfortunate turn of events could have been avoided if I had been more worried about dodging snow and ice piles on the taxiway instead of worrying about getting the freight out in a timely manner. I also think if the txwys in ewr had the blue lights around the edges it would increase situational awareness on the ground at that airport.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DURING A POSTFLT INSPECTION A C208 PLT FOUND PROP DAMAGE RESULTING FROM CONTACT WITH SNOW AND ICE DRIFTS DURING TAXI FOR TKOF AT EWR.
Narrative: AS I WAS TAXIING TO RWY 4L ON TXWY PD IN EWR; THE TXWY WAS OBSCURED BY ICE AND SNOW AND I COULDN'T SEE THE TXWY LINES OR LIGHTS. AS I WAS TAKING THE RWY FOR TKOF; I FELT A BUMP AS I PASSED OVER A PILE OF SNOW AND ICE. I DID NOT THINK MUCH OF IT BECAUSE I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET THE FREIGHT TO ZZZ AND I WAS HITTING ALL KINDS OF BUMPS AS I TAXIED OVER THE ICE AND SNOW. I TOOK OFF AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE THE ENTIRE FLT TO ZZZ. HOWEVER; WHEN I GOT TO ZZZ AND DID THE POSTFLT INSPECTION; I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I NOTICED THE PROP HAD NICKS IN IT. APPARENTLY THE PROP HAD HIT THE PILE OF SNOW AND ICE AND I HAD NO IDEA IT HAD HAPPENED. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE COMPANY AND THEY SENT OUT A MECH WHO GNDED THE AIRPLANE. I MUST ALSO NOTE THAT I WAS TAXIING AT A SPD LESS THAN 10 KTS (A PERSONAL RULE OF MINE ON AN ICY SURFACE). I THINK THIS UNFORTUNATE TURN OF EVENTS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD BEEN MORE WORRIED ABOUT DODGING SNOW AND ICE PILES ON THE TXWY INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT GETTING THE FREIGHT OUT IN A TIMELY MANNER. I ALSO THINK IF THE TXWYS IN EWR HAD THE BLUE LIGHTS AROUND THE EDGES IT WOULD INCREASE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON THE GND AT THAT ARPT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.