Prop Strike according to Mike Bush

[BKlott]

I read the teardown and inspection procedures that M20Doc posted links to. They seem to be very thorough and if done properly, without cutting any corners, you would think that you should be okay.

My Dad sold his Mooney the next year, 1971. The guy he sold it to landed it in a crab and one of the main gears folded damaging one of the flaps as well. Many years and a move to Florida later we ran across her again down at Sebring Airport, a favorite destination for the $100 hamburger flights. We spoke with the owner at that time who filled us in on the more recent other interesting events in it's history. These included receiving empennage damage from the wingtip of a Lear Jet along with at least three gear up landings.

Afterwords I would kid my Dad telling him "the Mooney was happy to see you". "You were one of the few who didn't damage the airplane". I often wondered if we could get the Mooney, strip it of all the paint and place it in a hangar with the special lights. Then we could magnaflux the entire airframe to see how many cracks there were from all the damage it had over the years. Might be a scary sight!

[goterminal120]

I would appreciate someone clarifying the AD's that describe what exactly is required after a prop strike. 

One service center/sales operation stated that only the crankshaft "run out" be checked, and the crank bolt in the accessory case be replaced. Another certified service facility tells me that total disassembly for an IRAN is required, and that I might as well have the engine rebuilt, for the extra expense and have a zeroed engine.

 

Having seen the statistics that led to the conclusion that a person is better off NOT getting their engine rebuilt - because of serious, and multiple component failures of rebuilds - and reading comments on forums of the many problems experienced by owners post rebuild, I don't like the prospects of having a rebuilt engine put in a plane I am buying on one coast of the US, and immediately flying it back to my home base on the other coast.  

 

Educated opinions anyone?

I just went through this on an annual this month. The only legal requirement is to replace the crank gear and bolt in the accessory case. Lycoming them selves said the SB that covers prop strikes is not required.

In my opinion it is foolish to go strictly by the FAA AD. There is no telling what got buggered up.

Case in point, an airplane was purchased that typically has a CS prop. It had a fixed pitch on it with no logbook entry as to why. Within a year the crank broke at the forward bearing journal. It may not happen next week or in five years, but I sure would be nervous heading to the Bahamas.

[Guest]

Lycoming is all messed up. The headline for the SB says Mandatory, yet the opening line say Recommended.

If the insurance company is paying for a full inspection that is the best action.

Clarence

[Tommy]

Too many variables to recommend that we all go out and prop strike our Mooney! I think Mike is being nice and sympathetic by pointing out the potential silver lining in such event. But his statement probably only applies to the gentlest prop strike (like taxiing over a pot hole) in a mid-life engine that was not well looked after.

[MyNameIsNobody]

If the gear won't extend or the pilot fails to extend the gear...Gear up...then you scrape belly panels, maybe a rib, nose gear doors, rotating beacon, belly antenna's, maybe a flap hinge. All can easily be detected and repaired. Prop, easy to replace. Engine? Different story, but a tear-down/inspection and or major is a plus.

There is a HUGE difference between an off field incident, as described above for potential damage and a garden variety gear up. I will/would take a recently gupped plane to a mid-time engine. Betterment? Yup.