After a propeller strike without sudden stoppage, you should inspect the nose section, oil filters, and crankshaft.

Outline you can skim quickly

• Hook: After a prop strike with no sudden engine stoppage, you don’t “skip ahead” you inspect thoroughly.

• Core idea: The right checks are nose section, oil filters, and crankshaft.

• Why it matters: Prop strikes can hide damage; the nose area and oil system feed the engine’s vitality, and the crankshaft is the engine’s heartbeat.

• Deep dive into each check:

• Nose section: what to look for, why it matters, how to inspect.

• Oil filters: contamination risks, how to inspect and what to do with findings.

• Crankshaft: signs of misalignment or damage, basic inspection steps.

• Why not the other options: brief critique of A, C, D with safety focus.

• Practical steps after a strike: stopping, documenting, turning to maintenance, and safety mindset.

• Quick practical takeaways and a reminder to stay curious about how engines tell you when something’s off.

After a propeller strike without a sudden stoppage, which checks should be performed? If you’ve ever been in a hangar as a mechanic or a pilot with maintenance awareness, you know the instinct is not to gloss over the event. The right checks aren’t a guess; they’re a careful, methodical process. The correct answer is B: inspect the nose section, oil filters, and crankshaft. Let me explain why that trio matters and how professionals carry it out in the real world.

Why this question matters in the field

Prop strikes wake up your sense of vigilance. Even when the engine keeps running, there can be hidden damage that won’t show up at first glance. The nose section—think of it as the engine’s front door—houses critical components and interfaces where movement from the strike could cause cracking, misalignment, or loosened connections. The oil system is the bloodstream of the engine; debris or metal shavings kicked up by the impact can ride along in oil and cause wear or scoring if the filters don’t catch it. And the crankshaft—the core rotating element—can suffer subtle misalignment or internal damage that might not scream until you push the power a bit harder.

Nose section: the doorway to engine health

The nose section isn’t just a cosmetic shell. It’s where you can catch early signs of stress after a strike. Here’s what a practical inspection looks like in the hangar or shop:

• Look for cracks or dents around the firewall, engine mounts, and structural joints that connect the nose to the engine. Even hairline cracks can propagate if ignored.

• Inspect the prop hub interfaces and blade roots. A strike can deform these joints and create hidden stress that compromises balance and timing.

• Check cowling fasteners and latches for looseness. If the nose section wasn’t firmly seated after impact, it could lead to air leaks, cooling issues, or vibration that masks other problems.

• Take a careful walk-around of the accessory gear case and gear housing visible from the nose area. Any unusual gaps or misalignment here is a red flag.

If you see anything that looks off, don’t assume it’s harmless. Mark it, document it, and escalate to maintenance before the engine is run again. The nose section is a sensitive indicator—ignore it and you risk letting damage sneak into the heart of the engine.

Oil filters: the contamination checkpoint

Oil is the lifeblood that keeps the engine components cool, lubricated, and protected. A strike can introduce metal fragments or debris into the oil path, so the oil filters deserve a meticulous check:

• Remove and inspect the oil filter for evidence of metal particles, aluminum shavings, or other debris. Even tiny specks can indicate micro-damage somewhere in the engine that needs attention.

• Check the oil itself for metallic contamination. A sample can reveal whether the oil is carrying particles that shouldn’t be there.

• Inspect the oil lines and fittings that connect to the filter housing. Look for leaks, scoring, or loosened connections that could worsen contamination or starve the engine of oil flow.

• After inspection, replace the filter with a new unit. It’s common practice to re-check the oil and the filter after any notable contamination or after a strike, to be sure nothing new has appeared.

The takeaway here: if debris shows up in the oil system, you halt flight operations and bring the engine into a controlled maintenance environment. Oil filters are not just filters; they’re early warning systems for imminent failures.

Crankshaft: the heart that keeps the beat

The crankshaft is central to engine performance. Damage here can be subtle but dangerous. A few practical checks help you gauge whether a prop strike has affected this critical component:

• Inspect the crankshaft surface for scoring, indentations, or cracks that might have occurred due to the strike or the stress transferred through the prop hub.

• Check for runout or misalignment using appropriate tools (dial indicators or other recommended gauges). Even small deviations can lead to abnormal wear, vibration, or timing irregularities when you’re at flight power.

• Look for bearing wear in the crankshaft area or signs of oil pressure fluctuations that could hint at internal damage. Worn bearings or scoring can spell trouble down the road if not caught early.

• Listen and feel for unusual vibrations when the engine is operated at idle and then at light loads in a controlled test environment. If anything sounds off, it merits further investigation.

If you observe any irregularities in the crankshaft area, it’s a strong signal to pause further testing and escalate to a deeper, more comprehensive inspection. The crankshaft is consequential—damages here don’t always manifest as immediate, dramatic failures, but they can reduce engine reliability and safety over time.

Why not the other options? A quick reality check

• A. Only check the oil level: This feels like a lazy shortcut. An oil level check is simple and important, sure, but it won’t reveal hidden damage to the nose section, oil filters, or the crankshaft. It’s a missing piece of a bigger puzzle.

• C. Run the engine at high RPMs to test performance: Testing at high RPMs after a strike can mask problems. If there’s a crack, misalignment, or contaminated oil, you’ll find out the hard way—likely with a dramatic failure in flight. Surface performance isn’t a reliable safety proxy after an impact.

• D. Replace the propeller and continue operation: Replacing the prop alone doesn’t guarantee there’s no internal engine damage. Hidden issues in the nose section, oil system, or crankshaft might still be present. It’s a gamble, and in aviation, gambles don’t belong in the maintenance handbook.

What to do next, practically

After a prop strike with no sudden stoppage, a prudent path looks like this:

• Secure the aircraft and prevent taxi or flight until a qualified technician has completed the checks described above. Don’t push the envelope.

• Document the incident in as much detail as you can: time, engine Run/Stop status, any unusual sounds, and the exact location and severity of the strike.

• Perform the nose section inspection first, then move to the oil system, and finally the crankshaft. Treat it as a linked investigation: if you find issues along the way, revisit earlier steps.

• If anything appears questionable, replace suspect components, perform post-maintenance tests, and follow the appropriate service publications. This isn’t a moment to improvise.

• Communicate clearly with the maintenance team and the flight crew about the inspection results and any equipment restrictions. Clear, honest communication saves time and enhances safety.

A gentle reminder: this isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about keeping the airplane’s heart beating reliably and safely. A prop strike that looks minor on the surface can hide a cascade of problems if the nose section, oil filters, or crankshaft aren’t given the scrutiny they deserve.

A few practical tips to keep in mind

• Treat a strike as a warning sign, not a cosmetic hiccup. The nose section and crankshaft are where the story of the event unfolds.

• Don’t rely on a single check to clear the airplane. A multi-step approach lowers the risk of missing something critical.

• Keep good records. Documentation helps everyone understand what was found, what was replaced, and what the next steps are.

• Learn from real-world examples. Look for published service instructions and case studies that show how similar events were handled. Real-world procedures often illuminate the why behind the steps.

Bringing it all together

After a propeller strike without sudden stoppage, the checks you perform aren’t arbitrary. They’re grounded in the engine’s architecture and the physics of an impact. The nose section, oil filters, and crankshaft form a trio that captures the most likely trouble spots and sets the stage for a safe restoration of reliability. If any of these areas reveal damage or contamination, the right move is to slow down, inspect thoroughly, and bring the aircraft into a maintenance loop that emphasizes safety first.

If you’re dipping into materials that cover powerplant systems and their real-world applications, you’ll notice this mindset echoed across manuals and hands-on training. It’s not about memorizing a script; it’s about understanding where trouble tends to hide and how to follow a logical, safety-centered process to confirm airworthiness.

So, the next time you hear about a prop strike without a sudden stoppage, you’ll know the drill. Start with the nose section, move through the oil filters, and finish with a careful crankshaft check. And if anything looks off, you pause, you document, you escalate. The airplane deserves nothing less, and so do the people who rely on it every day.