SMA PROP STRUCK RWY EDGE AFTER RAIN SOAKED AND WEAKENED THE EDGE SO THAT IT SANK WHEN CROSSED.

Narrative

FOLLOWING A HVY RAIN; THE NOSE WHEEL OF THE ACFT SANK INTO SOME FILL AT THE EDGE OF THE RWY. AS I TAXIED FROM THE TIE-DOWNS TO THE RWY. THE PROP STRUCK THE TAR AND CHIP RWY COATING; BUT DID NOT STOP. THE ENG WAS AT IDLE WHEN THE PROP STRUCK THE RWY. SINCE I HAD TAXIED THROUGH THIS AREA AN HR PREVIOUSLY; I WAS SURPRISED THE FILL WAS THAT SOFT. A MECH CHKED THE PROP TRACK. BLADE LENGTH AND DYE PENETRATED THE HUB. HE FILED OUT THE NICKS. AFTER A SECOND OPINION WAS RECEIVED FROM A SECOND PLT; THE PLANE WAS FLOWN HOME IN VFR CONDITIONS. THE ACFT IS BEING REPAIRED AT THE HOME BASE. WHILE THE CONDITION OF A FERRY PERMIT WERE MET (2 MECHS OPINION FLT WAS SAFE; DAY VFR; NO PAX; SINGLE FLT) AN ACTUAL FERRY PERMIT WAS NOT OBTAINED FROM THE FAA. IN THE FUTURE; WHILE IN A FOREIGN FIELD; I WILL CHK MY RTE OF TAXI MORE CAREFULLY. WHILE THE FILL ALONG THE EDGE OF THE RWY APPEARED AS FIRM AS WHEN I HAD TAXIED OFF THE RWY AN HR BEFORE; IT WAS OBVIOUSLY TURNED TO MUD BY THE RAIN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THIS WAS AN UNSCHEDULED STOP DUE TO WX. HE WAS ONLY ABOUT 18 MI FROM DEST BUT A STORM WAS IN THE WAY AND SPREADING SO ATC COULD NOT REALLY VECTOR HIM AROUND THE WX. THE ARPT MGR HAD JUST HAD WORK DONE ON THE RWY AND THE EDGE AREA HAD NOT YET COMPACTED. HE TAXIED ACROSS THE GRASS FROM THE RWY ON LNDG AND HAD NO PROB. THE HVY RAINS FROM THE STORM APPARENTLY SUPER SOAKED THE AREA AND THAT CAUSED THE SINKING INTO THE EDGE AREA. THE WHEELS WENT IN TO THE HUBS. RPTR COMPLIED WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FERRYING EXCEPT THE ACTUAL PERMIT. FEELS STRONGLY THAT THE MECH SHOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM THE INFO REGARDING FERRY PERMIT. LOG BOOKS WERE NOT WITH THE ACFT SO MECH GAVE HIM A PAPER WITH ACCOUNTING OF WHAT WAS DONE AND SIGNED IT. THIS INDICATED THE ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY SO HE FELT COMFORTABLE TO FLY.