USAF Identifies Likely Cause of C-130H Prop Cracks

The Air Force grounded some of the Hercules fleet last month, citing cracks in prop assemblies.

Wednesday, November 09, 2022 at 02:51 PM ET

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C-130H Hercules are capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and are the prime transport for airdropping troops and equipment into hostile areas. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

Cracks found in older propeller barrel assemblies led the U.S. Air Force to ground a portion of its C-130H Hercules cargo aircraft fleet.
Electric arc etching pens, used to engrave serial numbers on propellers, are the likely cause of the discovered cracks, and this process has been stopped.
The Air Force is implementing a recovery plan that includes locating and refurbishing propeller parts at specialized depot facilities.

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Electric arc etching pens were likely the cause of cracks in older propeller barrel assemblies that led the U.S. Air Force to ground a portion of its fleet of C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft last month, according to a report.

The cracks were discovered in early-October by a technician at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (KWRB), Georgia, who noticed a persistent leak on a C-130H propeller during a post-depot operation engine run check.