On Feb 5, 8:14 am, Ricky wrote:
In the mid 80s I was in flight training at a part 141 school, Navarro
College, In Corsicana, Texas. I would not recommend this college to
anyone seeking an aviation college, by the way. I'll let you know more
privately if you wish.

I took the nice 172 to Gilmer, Tx. for an overnight visit to part of
my family that lived there, parked on the asphalt ramp and didn't tie
down because the weather was so nice with light to no winds. I was
leaving in the morning, anyway. At my brother's house we were watching
the 10:00 p.m. news and during the weather there was a line of strong
thunderstorms heading our way. Back out to the airport to tie the
school's 172 down or fly the short distance to Longview & secure the
plane if I couldn't find any tie-down provisions.

After searching the area I noticed a thick wire rope sort of buried in
the grass, weeds & dirt just off the asphalt. Thinking it would be
hard to push the plane by myself once on the turf, I fired her up &
taxied off the tarmac into the grass and positioned the plane over the
rope. Just after the nose wheel left the asphalt I heard a sharp,
though not loud, "ping." The storm was rolling in & the wind was
picking up so I quickly secured the 172 to the rope and got back in
the car & to the house. I didn't even consider investigating what
could have made the "ping" noise (mistake # 1).
I accidently slept too long the next morning and, aware that the 172
was scheduled for other students that day, made haste in leaving east
Texas. My preflight was abbreviated and I skipped a step that I'd bet
many skip on a regular basis, running my hand over the prop (mistake #
2).
As I applied full power for takeoff I noticed an unusual vibration
shaking the airplane. I was baffled but I had "get-home-itis" so I
relegated the vibration to something the A&P should check on once I
got back in Corsicana. Discontinuing the takeoff roll was a fleeting
thought, but I didn't do it (mistake # 3).

As I powered down at cruise altitude the vibration almost disappeared,
putting my mind somewhat at ease.
After landing and parking at the gas pumps I went back inside the
pilot center to check out and shortly the lineman came inside and
asked me in a rather disturbed tone of voice; "Ricky, WHAT did you do
to the prop of that airplane!?"
With a bit of shock, back outside I saw there was about 1/4" to 1/2"
shaved right off from one blade of the propeller.

Reviewing the events of the flight I realized that the "ping" was the
prop striking something, probably the tie holding down the wire rope,
or the rope itself, as I taxied off of the tarmac onto the grass. I
did remember that the plane dipped slightly as I rolled off the
asphalt due to a gradient difference.
The A&P told me that it would not have been far-fetched for the
vibration to have vibrated the motor right off of the front of the
plane, which of course, would have been fatal.
Thankfully, the prop was within limits to have him file & balance the
opposing blade to match the other side so we didn't have to order a
new propeller.

SO - don't skip the little steps in your preflight, the ones that we
sometimes deem less important. Up until that point, I sometimes did
not check the prop. Now I consider it one of the more vital preflight
items! Don't get so rushed that safety is compromised in any way.
You've probably heard that the pressure to get to your destination
("get-home-itis") can be, and sometimes is, a fatal one.

Ricky

If you did that now, with a Lycoming engine, the
solutions wouldn't be just dressing the prop. It would mean opening
the engine. $$.

Dan