What happened
On 9 September 2001, a Piper PA-31, registration G-EEJE, was performing a private flight departing from Cambridge Airport. During the takeoff roll on Runway 05, immediately prior to the point of rotation, the crew heard a loud bang originating from the nose section of the aircraft.
Despite the noise, the aircraft maintained a straight track without any noticeable vibration. The pilot elected to abort the takeoff and taxied the aircraft away from the active runway. Upon stopping and conducting a visual inspection, the crew discovered that a section of the right propeller spinner, approximately 3 inches in diameter, had detached and struck the aircraft nose. The impact caused significant damage to two skin panels and the debris became lodged within the baggage compartment.
The investigation
Following the incident, the crew submitted an aircraft accident report. The investigation focused on the structural integrity of the propeller spinner. It was established that the specific spinner involved in the failure had undergone a previous repair. Following the event, a replacement spinner was installed, and the aircraft was returned to its maintenance base to complete necessary repairs to the fuselage skin.