Incident Overview
The aircraft was departing on an IFR flight from San Jose, California, to Chester, California. Shortly after lift-off, at an altitude of approximately 50 feet above ground level, the pilot heard a loud bang. The right front seat passenger then informed the pilot that the right propeller was missing.
Immediate Actions
In response, the pilot secured the affected engine and executed a circling approach back to the airport, resulting in an uneventful landing. Following the incident, the propeller hub and two blades were recovered on the runway. The third blade was never located despite a search.
Inspection Findings
Subsequent inspection of the recovered propeller hub revealed a 3 to 4 inch progressive fatigue fracture. The aircraft maintenance records indicated that the propeller hub had accumulated approximately 3,421 hours of total time, with 707 hours since its last overhaul.