FLC EXPERIENCES PROP LEADING EDGE SEPARATION.

Narrative

WITHIN 5 MINS OF A NORMAL TKOF AND CLB TO 4000 FT; A THUD (SOMETHING LIKE A BIRD STRIKE) WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY A SLIGHT VIBRATION. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. THE EMER CHKLIST SUGGESTED AN ENG SHUTDOWN; BUT I DECIDED TO KEEP IT RUNNING BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH INFO TO SHUT IT DOWN. ALL ENG PARAMETERS WERE NORMAL AT FIRST; AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS THE R TORQUE GAUGE STARTED TO FLUCTUATE A LITTLE; BUT DIDN'T CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY. APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG I SHUT THE ENG DOWN. THE FO COULD NOW SEE THAT THE R PROP HAD LOST ABOUT 12 INCHES OF THE METAL LEADING EDGE OF THE PROP; THE THUD WE HEARD WAS WHERE THE PIECE HIT THE SIDE OF THE ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 317868: AFTER LNDG WE NOTICED A PROP LEADING SECTION ON #2 PROP (R ENG) MISSING SOME NICKEL LEADING EDGE. THE POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED 12 INCHES OF THE NICKEL LEADING EDGE WAS MISSING AND STRUCK THE ACFT CAUSING 2 MARKS; 1 MINOR; THE OTHER A SIGNIFICANT CUT. NO INJURIES OR EMER DECLARED. THE ACFT WAS A SAAB SF340. THIS PROP IS A HAMILTON STANDARD; QUITE SIMILAR TO THE KIND FOUND ON EMB120. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR OF ACN 317868 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CONTACT FINALLY MADE WITH FO. RPTR STATED THAT ACFT HAD ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE L ENG COWLING; CAUSED BY THE SEPARATED PROP BLADE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE FAA INVESTIGATED AND INSPECTED THE ACFT BEFORE IT WAS RETURNED TO SVC. HE KNEW OF NO OTHER PROBS SINCE THEIR INCIDENT.