Hartzell Says Prop Not To Blame For Crash

Hartzell Propeller Inc. says it disagrees with Denmark’s Air Accident Investigation Board over the role of one of its propellers (model HC-C3YK-1BF) in an Aug. 6 crash just off the coast of Denmark. As AVweb told you Aug. 26, four people died in the crash. Danish authorities concluded a pitch change knob on one of the blades broke, contributing to the crash. In a news release, Mike Disbrow, Hartzell’s senior vice president of marketing and customer services, says all the evidence Hartzell has seen to date indicates the knob broke when the Socata TB10 impacted water — not before. “As a result, we believe that the TB10 accident in Denmark does not have any flight safety implications for pilots who operate aircraft with similar type propellers,” Disbrow said. The Danish authorities said in their report that Hartzell had issued a Service Bulletin requiring modifications to the pitch change knob on this type of propeller at the next overhaul. The prop involved in the crash wasn’t due for overhaul for another 18 months. Disbrow said pilots using this type of propeller had contacted the company expressing safety concerns. He said the company is “actively assisting” the Danes in their investigation.