Accident Overview
On May 6, 2010, at approximately 1030 central standard time, a kit-built RV-8 airplane, registration N127TT, impacted terrain during a forced landing near Prague, Oklahoma. The forced landing was precipitated by the loss of a propeller blade while the airplane was in cruise flight. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage, including structural damage to the fuselage, left wing, and vertical stabilizer.
The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from Prague Municipal Airport (O47), Prague, Oklahoma, at about 1000.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that approximately 30 minutes into the flight, a blade from the three-bladed propeller separated from the airplane. Due to the resulting vibration, the pilot shut down the engine and raised the airplane's nose to stop the propeller from rotating. Unable to return to the departure airport, the pilot elected to conduct a forced landing in a field. During the landing, the airplane missed a fence, bounced, and flipped over, coming to rest inverted.
The pilot, who also built the airplane, stated that he had recently installed the propeller and that the accident flight was approximately the fifth flight, with about eight flight hours on the new propeller. The propeller was identified as a ground-adjustable, three-bladed unit manufactured by Props, Inc.
Investigation
The propeller blade that separated in flight was not located. The remaining portion of the propeller and hub were sent to the US Forest Products Laboratory for examination. Without the missing propeller blade, the laboratory could not determine the reason for the separation.