The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Thanks, Tom. As before, I'm still tied up in Houston and can't get to my personal library just now, but the TCM website lists the SB96-11 and should be capable of downloading.

I don't think as a repairman you have to justify not signing off on any engine you don't have confidence in. The law doesn't require you to do so. I would think a repairman who knew an engine had suffered a prop-strike would have ample justification to refuse to sign off that engine as airworthy unless the owner allowed compliance with SB 96-11. I would also think, that any repairman who signed off on that engine without compliance with the inspection req'd by 96-11 would be vulnerable to liability issues.

Everyone: An engine teardown and reassembly is what insurance will pay for. This is different than an "overhaul", depending upon your private conversation with your engine shop. ("Overhaul" or "repair" or "rebuild" depends upon the parts and techniques used to determine airworthiness. A visit with your inspection shop and a few extra parts supplied/paid for by you might upgrade an "inspection" to an "overhaul", with the insurance company picking up most of tab.)
In either case, most of the labor and criteria for an "overhaul" is being performed during a teardown inspection such as engine removal/re-installation, teardown, cleaning, inspection, replacement of damaged/irreuseable parts, etc. But think about this: If your 300 hour engine is inspected for prop-strike, your shop will likely pull the cyls just far enough to remove the piston pin, leaving the piston/rings inside the cyls, which may be re-installed without further inspection. .... So a discussion with your shop might have you paying a few extra bucks for cyl/piston inspection and new rings, seals, etc. and having an "overhaul"....
But if your engine has 700 hours and 12 years since last overhaul......at least all your leaky gaskets will be replaced, and your grimy sump cleaned and inspected, etc. etc. How many mid-life engines get the benefit of a complete teardown and inspection and reassembly with new gaskets and seals? In my personal opinion, that logbook entry is a big PLUS in aircraft value,....not the minus many people fear and therefore skip doing the full Monty teardown inspection and logbook entry.

I might caution everyone about having a shop go ahead with extra work above & beyond what the insurance claim is for. I know a guy who groundlooped his 170 (bigtime!)a few years ago--he never hit the prop but bent the tips of BOTH wings up at about a 20 degree angle. He was insured,while it was in for repairs his friendly mechanic talked him into a lot of extra work--all new control cables,corrsion-proofing,etc etc--kind of a semi restoration job, as well as doing an annual inspection.After all,"the insurance company's picking up the bill on this one".
He told me that when the dust settled,he ended up having to pay about 10 grand out of his own pocket for the annual & all the extra work that they wouldn't cover,and rightfully so. His friendly mechanic just shrugged it off: "can't win 'em all!"
His own fault for going along with it when he should have known better.

Eric

In case I didn't make it clear, ...any addt'l work requested beyond that paid for by the insurance is indeed on the owner. Thought I'd made that clear.

The responsibility of the insurance company is to bring the airplane back to the same condition it was in before the accident- to "make you whole".
So if you have a prop strike on a high time engine the insurance company will only pay to have the engine removed, torn down, inspected, repair/replace any damaged parts and reassemble, test run and reinstall the engine. And of course repair any other damages, such as the prop.
However, this is a good time to have the engine overhauled as much of the cost will be borne by insurance. They will always let you arrange for an overhaul and pay you the amount the tear down inspection would have cost. You'll therefore have a relatively inexpensive overhaul.
(I worked as an aviation adjuster for some 10 years)
Rudy

I have been rassling with my computer for about 20 minutes trying to get the text of TCM SB 96-11. Seems like access via TCM's website is members only. I have a note in my computer stuff of a TCM ID and password ,but it doesn't seem to do anything. It might have been a trial membership thing or something,I guess.
Who can tell me just what that SB sez to do after a prop strike? Seems like a "Mandatory SB" ought to be made available if they expect anyone to even know about it,let alone comply with it.

Eric