The results of studying operational destruction of a high-loaded cardan shaft of the propeller engine made of steel 38KhN3MFA are presented to elucidate the cause of damage and develop a set of recommendations and measures aimed at elimination of adverse factors. Methods of scanning electron and optical microscopy, as well as X-ray spectral microanalysis are used to determine the mechanical properties, chemical composition, microstructure, and fracture pattern of cardan shaft fragments. It is shown that the mechanical properties and chemical composition of the material correspond to the requirements of the regulatory documentation, defects of metallurgical origin both in the shaft metal and in the fractures are absent. The microstructure of the studied shaft fragments is tempered martensite. Fractographic analysis revealed that the destruction of cardan shaft occurred by a static mechanism. The fracture surface is coated with corrosion products. The revealed cracks developed by the mechanism of corrosion cracking due to violation of the protective coating on the shaft. The results of the study showed that the destruction of the cardan shaft of a propeller engine made of steel 38Kh3MFA occurred due to formation and development of spiral cracks by the mechanism of stress corrosion cracking under loads below the yield point of steel. The reason for «neck» formation upon destruction of the shaft fragment is attributed to the yield point of steel attained during operation. Regular preventive inspections are recommended to assess the safety of the protective coating on the shaft surface to exclude formation and development of corrosion cracks.