Accident Details
On July 23, 2024, about 0845 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Kitfox Series V, N53562, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near La Grande, Oregon. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, the airplane departed runway 35 at the La Grande/Union County Airport (LGD), La Grande, Oregon. During the left turn to crosswind, a loud bang occurred, which shook the airplane. The pilot noted that the propeller had stopped, and he identified a nearby dirt road to land on. As the airplane approached the dirt road, he realized the airplane was too fast, and turned left and landed in a field. During the landing roll in the field, the airplane nosed over. The airplane came to rest inverted and sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and elevator.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination at the accident site revealed that 2 of the 3 propeller blades had separated from the propeller hub and were not immediately located. The pilot reported that they located one of the two separated propeller blades about 3,000 ft from the accident site a few days after the accident. The airplane was retained for further examination.