SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

NE-01-23 R1

January 27, 2009

This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you, owners, operators, and certificated repair facilities of Tarver Propeller, LLC (Formerly Brown Propeller, South 80, Univair, and Koppers) Aeromatic wood blade propellers, of revised information to ensure the continued airworthiness of these propellers. At this time, this airworthiness concern isn’t an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.

Applicability

This SAIB applies to Tarver propeller blades used on hub Models F200, F200H, 220, 220-1 and 220H which are installed on, but not limited to, the following airplanes:

Manufacturer	Model
Aeronca	15AC
Bellanca	14-13 and 14-19 series
Cessna	120, 140, 170A, and 170B
Culver	LCA and LFA
Fairchild	24W-9, -9S, -40, -40S, -41, -41S, -41A, -46, and -46S
Funk	B85C
Globe	GC-1A and GC-1B
Goodyear	GA-2 and GA-2B
Gulfstream American	G-44 and G-44A
Luscombe	8, 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, and 8F
Meyers	MAC-125C and MAC-145
Monocoupe	90AF-100
Navion	Navion and Navion A
Piper	J5C, PA-11, PA-12, PA-12S, PA-14, PA-16, PA-18, PA-19, PA-20, and PA-22
Stinson	L-5 series
Superior (Culver)	V, V-2, and LAR
Univair (Stinson)	108, 108-1, 108-2, and 108-3
Univair (Stinson)	108-2 and 108-3 with STC SA4-398 incorporated

Background

SAIB NE-01-23 was issued on May 23, 2001 as a result of a blade failure that was reportedly due to wood rot. Initial inspection of the failed blade showed separation of the wood blade from the metal ferrule. Subsequently, a laboratory analysis of the failed material showed no wood rot in the failed blade. The failed blade and other blades, subject to disassembly for overhaul, occasionally exhibit a fine brown powder in the area of the lag screws and ferrule. Analysis has determined this powder was rust from the lag screws and not wood rot.

Since SAIB NE-01-23 was issued, the FAA has not received any service difficulty reports related to wood rot or blade failures of any blades listed in the SAIB. Also during this time, the FAA obtained additional information from examination of propeller blades removed for overhaul. No overhauled blade showed any evidence of wood rot. Based on this updated information, Tarver Propellers, LLC issued Service Bulletin (SB) No. 2000-001A, dated January 24, 2003, and subsequently SB No. 2001-001B, dated October 7, 2008. This revised SAIB removes non-Aeromatic propeller models from the original listing.

Recommendations

We recommend that you inspect for blade looseness as a part of the routine preflight inspection. Do this by placing the thumb of one hand at the point where the wood blade enters the metal ferrule and with the other hand push and pull on the blade in a fore and aft motion. You should not feel any motion with your thumb during this check. If you feel any looseness (play), we recommend that, prior to further flight, the propeller be removed and sent to an appropriately rated propeller repair station to perform Tarver Propellers, LLC SB No. 2000-001B, dated October 7, 2008.

For Further Information Contact

Roger Pesuit, Aerospace Engineer, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90712; e-mail: roger.pesuit@faa.gov; telephone: (562) 627-5251; fax: (562) 627-5210.

Jay Turnberg, Propeller Specialist, Standards Staff, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate; 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: jay.turnberg@faa.gov; telephone: (781) 238-7116; fax: (781) 238-7199.

For Related Service Information Contact

Tarver Propeller, LLC; 1500 Rio Vista Road, C4, Fallon, Nevada 89406; e-mail: info@aeromatic.com; Web site: aeromatic.com; telephone: (775) 423-0378.