INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT FAIL TO SEE DAMAGED PROP ON PREFLT INSPECTION.

Narrative

I WAS CONDUCTING A PHASE CHK FOR MY COMPANY'S FAR PART 141 TRAINING PROGRAM. I HAD BEEN RUNNING BEHIND SCHEDULE ALL DAY; AND HAD STARTED THE DAY AT XW00 LCL. THE FLT WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART AT XX00 LCL; BUT DUE TO BEING BEHIND; I FIRST MET THE STUDENT AND BRIEFED HER FOR THE FLT AT APPROX 1 HR 15 MINS LATE. AFTER THE PREFLT BRIEFING; I PERFORMED MY USUAL PREFLT WALK AROUND. IN MY HASTE; I NEGLECTED TO USE A CHKLIST; AND I FAILED TO INSPECT THE PROP. THE FLT PROCEEDED AS PLANNED AND WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO ACFT ANOMALIES WERE NOTICED DURING; BEFORE; OR AFTER THE FLT. NO POST-FLT INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED DUE TO ME BEING BEHIND SCHEDULE. APPROX 2 HRS AFTER THE FLT; WHILE CONDUCTING A SIMULATOR SESSION; THE FLT SUPVR ON DUTY CALLED ME OUT TO THE ACFT I HAD FLOWN; AN SMA; AND POINTED OUT EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE PROP. ONE BLADE HAD REGULARLY SHAPED AND SPACED; TRIANGULAR GOUGES IN ITS LEADING EDGE; COVERING THE LAST 6-7 INCHES OF ITS LENGTH. THE LEADING EDGE TIP WAS MISSING; THE FRONT SURFACE WAS SCRATCHED; AND THE OPPOSITE EDGE HAD A CHUNK MISSING OUT OF ITS BACK SURFACE. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT A SOLO STUDENT 2 FLTS PRIOR; HAD TAXIED OVER A RWY LIGHT AT AN OUTLYING FIELD AND FAILED TO RPT THE INCIDENT. THIS SAME STUDENT THEN FLEW THE SAME ACFT; IN A FLT WITH HIS INSTRUCTOR. THAT INSTRUCTOR ALSO FAILED TO NOTE THE DAMAGE; NOR DID THE STUDENT RPT THE INCIDENT TO HIS INSTRUCTOR PRIOR TO THE FLT. I WAS THE NEXT PERSON TO FLY THE ACFT. AS A RESULT OF MY CARELESSNESS; I WAS SUSPENDED FOR 1 DAY WITHOUT PAY. FACTORS LEADING TO THIS NEGLIGENCE INCLUDED A LACK OF PROPER REST (5 HRS SLEEP PRIOR NIGHT); NO FOOD IN THE 2 HRS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT; A HVY; DEMANDING FLT SCHEDULE WITH ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED BACK-TO-BACK SINCE THAT MORNING THAT CAUSED ME TO BE RUSHED; TRUST IN THE STUDENT TO DO A PROPER PREFLT -- SHE HELD A PRIVATE PLT CERTIFICATE; AND THE FACT THAT I HAVE NEVER FOUND A PROP TO BE DAMAGED BEFORE IN MY 9 YRS OF FLYING.