What happened
On December 27, 2025, at approximately 11:09 Pacific standard time, an Evektor-Aerotechnik AS Sportstar Max LSA, registration N2312T, was involved in an accident near Needles, California. The aircraft was being operated under Part 91 regulations for a personal flight from Lake Havasu City Airport (HII) to Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
While cruising at approximately 6,500 feet MSL, the pilot reported that all engine parameters and flight instruments were operating normally. Suddenly, the aircraft began experiencing violent vibrations, and the control sticks moved rapidly between their forward and aft limits. During this event, the engine RPM decreased, and the vibrations subsided after roughly 15 seconds, at which point the pilot regained control of the stick. A passenger noted that one of the three propeller blades had detached from the propeller hub. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing on runway 02 at Needles Airport (EED).
Both the pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were not injured, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
An inspection of the engine following the accident revealed that the upper left engine mount had separated from the firewall, resulting in substantial damage. Investigators found that the propeller hub had fractured at the blade grip. Additionally, the four blade retention bolts and the blade grip material had been liberated from the hub.