What happened
On March 10, 2025, at approximately 12:40 CDT, an experimental RV-7A, registration N923ZA, was involved in an accident near Plainview, Texas. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal cross-country purposes.
The pilot reported that the flight was the second leg of a journey, following an uneventful first leg lasting 2 hours and 15 minutes. After a refueling stop, the pilot began the departure for the destination airport. The takeoff was initially smooth; however, upon reaching 800 feet above ground level (agl), the aircraft experienced violent shaking and shuddering. The pilot responded by reducing the throttle, which mitigated the vibration, and subsequently executed a forced landing in a field.
Following the landing, the pilot discovered that one of the three propeller blades had separated from the hub and was located in the field nearby. The pilot was not injured, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
Maintenance logbook reviews indicated that the propeller had been installed on December 19, 2023, and had approximately 25 hours of time in service. The records showed that the propeller had been inspected during the two most recent condition inspections and was deemed airworthy. The aircraft was retained for further examination.