What happened
On July 23, 2024, at approximately 0845 Pacific daylight time, a Kitfox Series V aircraft, registration N53562, was involved in an accident near La Grande, Oregon. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use.
The pilot departed from runway 35 at the La Grande/Union County Airport (LGD). While performing a left turn to crosswind, the pilot experienced a loud bang and a physical shake throughout the aircraft. Following this event, the pilot observed that the propeller had stopped rotating.
Seeking an emergency landing site, the pilot identified a nearby dirt road. However, upon approaching the road, the pilot determined the aircraft was traveling at too high a speed and instead executed a left turn to land in a field. During the landing roll in the field, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft at the accident site showed that two of the three propeller blades had separated from the propeller hub. These two blades were not immediately located at the scene; however, the pilot reported finding one of the separated blades approximately 3,000 feet from the accident site several days later. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the empennage, specifically the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and elevator.