Saab 340 propeller belt incident highlights importance of proper pre-flight checks: ATSB | News

An overlooked propeller belt on a Link Airways Saab 340 that damaged the aircraft and injured a passenger is an important reminder to remain vigilant.

In preparation for a flight to be operated on behalf of Virgin Australia on the Canberra-Sydney route on November 10, 2022, the aircraft (VH-VEQ) took off with a propeller belt still attached to the left GE Aerospace CT7-9B engine was attached, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).

The propeller strap – which Saab calls a “propeller restraint strap” – is placed over a propeller blade and attached to two pins on the underside of the engine cowling via two cables. The device prevents the propeller from moving when the aircraft is parked.

Typically, an extension connects the propeller belt to the flight stairs to help guide boarding passengers.

On the day of the incident – ​​which the ATSB classifies as “serious” – the belt extension to the flight stairs was not installed. Neither the flight crew nor the dispatcher noticed that the belt was still in place after boarding and during the final inspection.

“During the takeoff sequence, there was a delay between the start of the engine start and the rotation of the propeller due to the pins securing the belt to the engine cowling,” the ATSB says.

“When these failed, the propeller began to rotate normally and the aircraft was cleared for departure with the strap still attached to the left propeller but not visible due to the rotation of the propeller.”

After the aircraft became airborne, there was a loud noise as the belt detached from the rotor blade and became anchored in the fuselage. Additionally, two hood pins penetrated the cabin, with one striking a passenger’s leg, causing bruising.

The cabin crew contacted the flight crew – who did not know what had happened – and the plane returned to Canberra. Aside from the leg injury, all three crew members and 29 passengers were safe.

Following the incident, Link updated its pre-flight checks, documentation and training related to the propeller belt and belt extension.

“For those directly involved in flight operations, this incident highlights the importance of vigilance,” the ATSB said.

“When there are multiple risk controls in place and multiple responsible parties, it is easy to become complacent, expecting that previous controls were carried out correctly and that future controls elsewhere in the system are likely to uncover anything that is missed.”

The aircraft was originally delivered to US regional airline Mesaba Airlines in 1997.

It was subsequently operated by PenAir before finally being transferred to the Link Airways fleet in 2022.