Forced Landing in Grain Field After Propeller Bolts Sheared (N977KM)

Incident Overview and Forced Landing Details A private pilot and a friend were en route for a hunting trip when the pilot heard a loud knock about thirty miles east of a refueling stop. Oil covered the windscreen and the engine seized. The pilot looked out the side window vent to select a forced landing area and performed a wheels-up landing in a grain field. After exiting the aircraft, the pilot saw that the propeller was missing. Damage was reported as substantial, but a post-incident inspection revealed minor damage. ## Propeller Bolts and Technical Findings The propeller was not found, but two sheared propeller bolts, P/N A-2040, were found in the cowling. In a phone conversation, a Hartzell technical representative said the proper bolt for this installation is P/N A-1328-1. He said P/N A-2040 was superseded prior to 1970. Log books show this propeller was overhauled 83 flight hours prior to this incident. The repair shop reported that the bolts they removed were inspected and re-installed in the hub.