Plastic bag on main gear -- tell them or no?

[scooter2525]

Another story involving safety wire: A P-51 pilot showed me his recently changed 4 blade prop. One blade about 1/4 of the way out from the hub had a gash on the leading edge. He told me a 6" piece of safety wire had bent itself around the blade and he flew it that way for about one hour. The wire had cut 2" across the blade in that time. He could only guess that it was at run-up that he picked up the wire. And you just can't see it on a spinning prop. The old prop is on a hanger wall at Ukiah, CA just a couple doors north of the terminal if anyone is interested.

Lesson is, even the tiniest FOD can be disastrous.

Would be interested in seeing that. PM me if you could. Is it south of the fed ex ramp? I fly through there on some quick turns during the week in the mornings and evenings.

 

[scooter2525]

I agree with this being the right thing. You never know what could become of it.

Could the pilot just have pulled to the side of the taxi way and the FO hop out and check it? Would it be necessary for him to go back to the gate?