Swiss pilot emergency landing at ENVA (and flying after a big prop strike)

You can have an IO540-C4 on a SEP and an IO540-C4 on an MEP. On the SEP it will generate lots of vibration throughout the airframe. On the MEP it is much smoother. My guess is that

• the mounting on the wings transmits less vibration
• there is no prop slipstream on the MEP

The second one is definitely a BIG factor; anyone doubting should touch their SEP front window…

Also there is this where much the same (perplexing) result was measured regardless of propeller balancing, which suggests most of the airframe vibration on an SEP is actually from the prop-agitated slipstream. Or maybe from the engine being shaken more by the 3 exhaust events per revolution than by anything else (and that route would also be attenuated on a twin).

Hands up – how many here have been in a prop strike event? I have been once, RHS PNF, when the nose gear collapsed in a SEP on rollout after a normal landing. The engine was already on idle, but the noise of the prop hitting the tarmac was deafening and terrifying, to say the least. How anyone can not notice that is beyond me.

Other than that, I wouldn’t necessarily set too much store by FR24 tracks in remote areas. This whole event sounds really, really weird.

I have flown a SEP with a 2-blade prop, not noticing anything although one blade missed 1½ cm from the tip before my departure, my preflight obviously embarrassingly lacking.
I have spoken to two pilots that I know well and have flown a lot with, who both have braked our tailwheel TMG so it lifted its tail and debris from the tips flew. They both swear that nothing could be seen or felt when taxiing back.
I have spoken to a pilot who landed hard on a very uneven grass strip, partly collapsing the undercarriage and taking off about 1/3 of each wooden prop blade. Although it took a little more RPM to taxi off the runway than usual, the pilot claimed there was no more vibration than usual.

I am convinced that many pilots have been unfairly accused of knowing he was flying after damaging a propeller, when in fact, he was not able to either see it or feel it.

Me too – written about it here previously.

There was a well publicized case of an Aerostar which was filmed doing exactly the same thing. It flew for quite a while as well before landing normally.

Also, there is quite a difference of a full stoppage during a gear collapse and this kind of event. If the blades look like this, then they touched the ground for a very short time, which possibly would be measured in seconds if that much. With 2500 RPM, touching even through say 5-6 revolutions would take a very short time.

I recall a Seneca which hit one prop during a crosswind GA. They touched down wing low and immediately went around. The pilots both stated that reaction of the plane was totally normal, no increased vibration they could feel at all. They diverted as well and only on the ground they saw the damage. Both blades were wrecked but symmetrically. That is what this plane looks like as well.

LeSving wrote:

Where do you get them?

For example here: https://www.liveatc.net/feedindex.php?type=international-eu

Link fixed and local copy of PDF.

I ferried this plane from ENVA after repairs. Flew perfectly with OH engines and new props :-)