PROBABLE TXWY EXCURSION AFTER ACFT EQUIP PROB MALFUNCTION CREATES ACFT DAMAGE VIA A PROP STRIKE.

Narrative

ON TAXI OUT FROM GATE TO RWY; THE ACFT NOSE STEERING FAILED. THE ACFT WAS IN A SLOW L TURN AT THE TIME OF FAILURE AND WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP. THE CREW WAS ABLE TO REACTIVATE THE NOSE STEERING AND BEGAN TO AGAIN TURN THE ACFT. IN THIS TURN; THE NOSE STEERING AGAIN FAILED AND THE ACFT WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP. THE CREW NOTIFIED ATC GND CTL OF THE SIT. COMPANY OPS WAS ALSO NOTIFIED AND THE PAX WERE BRIEFED. OPS SENT A TUG OUT; AND THE ACFT WAS TOWED BACK TO THE GATE. MAINT INSPECTED THE ACFT AND ELECTRICALLY DISCONNECTED THE NOSE STEERING. THEY ALSO DEFERRED THE NOSE STEERING PER OUR MEL. THE PAX WERE RE- BOARDED AND THE FLT CONTINUED NORMALLY (WITHOUT NOSE STEERING) TO THE DEST AND BACK. THIS WAS THE END OF OUR FLYING DAY; AND WE TAXIED BACK TO THE HANGAR. ON POST-FLT INSPECTION; THE CREW FOUND A LARGE NICK IN THE TIP OF 1 BLADE ON THE R PROP. NEITHER CREW MEMBER HEARD OR SAW ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE SUGGESTED A PROP STRIKE DURING THIS DAY. THE SMT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF NOSE STEERING PROBS WITH MANY RWY AND TXWY EXCURSIONS RPTED AT OUR COMPANY ALONE. I BELIEVE THAT A JOINT INDUSTRY FAA REVIEW PANEL SHOULD BE CONVENED TO EVALUATE WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE A FLAWED DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT A MANDATORY REFIT OF ALL ACFT BEFORE ANY MORE ACCIDENTS OR INCIDENTS OCCUR.