Date: 201503
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: SF 340B
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: None
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: Propeller Blade
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Time Pressure; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight
Result: General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action; General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: March 2015 my First Officer and I started our preflight on a SAAB SF340B; Aircraft X in ZZZ1. There was a concession [deferral] to repair a crack on the right prop; blade-1; that allowed for a 2.5 inch crack on the trailing edge to be flown 200 hours. Upon inspection of the crack it was found to be much larger than the 2.5 inches. Furthermore; a repair had been made on the crack outside of those parameters. I wrote the crack up and maintenance ops checked it good. I called my dispatcher and asked if he had another plane because I felt that the company was misrepresenting the concession letter for the 2.5' crack and I would not fly that plane as it was. I was given [another] SF-340 aircraft. About an hour later; the mechanic in ZZZ1 found us in the crew room and pulled me aside to try and tell me how it was alright and sound and he would even go with us if it made me more comfortable. We felt as if we were being pressured not necessarily directly by him; but through him by the company. We still turned it down. I then was called by my base Chief pilot. He wanted to know why I was refusing a plane. I explained my concern with him as he wasn't aware of what the actual problem was. The next day we arrived at the airport in ZZZ1 and they had us scheduled on Aircraft X again. I called maintenance control and told them I would not be taking it again and reiterated my concern that the concession to repair only covered a 2.5' crack but the crack was in fact much larger; therefore the concession was no longer valid. I was sort of brushed off with an irritated tone and told 'you do what you have to do then.'  When the plane arrived from ZZZ2 I re-inspected the prop and found it in the same condition. I wrote it up again in the logbook. This time the mechanics that came out were weary of the situation and didn't want anything to do with signing it off. They took multiple pictures and measurements and sent them to headquarters where a rep said it was nothing and to sign it off. I was told that it would be signed off and if I refused it there would be consequences. The mechanics fortunately were wary enough that they removed the paint and repair on the section outside of the 2.5 inches and found a long deal crack. Needless to say I'm glad I was persistent and will not really be trusting anything [the propeller company] has to say as their track record isn't exactly clean with signing things off. I also didn't appreciate the perceived pressure from the company to take the aircraft because it was legal on paper. I have documentation of all of the steps above.  Flight cancelled.




Synopsis: A Captain explains why he twice refused; even under company pressure; to accept the same SAAB SF-340B aircraft that had a trailing edge crack on one of the prop blades for # 1 engine. Although the Propeller Representative said the crack was OK for service; the Captain noted the crack had exceeded the 2.5 inches allowed for continued limited flight. Maintenance later confirmed Captain's observation.