What happened
On 22 July 2008, a BFC Challenger II, registration G-BYKU, was conducting a private flight near Otherton Airfield, Staffordshire. During the final stages of an approach to Runway 2XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX25, the pilot heard a loud bang from the rear of the aircraft. The pilot initially suspected a failure of the propeller drive belt; however, the propeller and hub assembly had actually detached from the reduction gearing.
Despite the sudden loss of thrust, the pilot managed to maintain a glide approach and successfully landed the aircraft on the runway. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the propeller assembly and hub were missing from the engine. The components were later found attached to a tree at the edge of the airfield. The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, the fuselage fabric, and the dorsal longeron, but there were no injuries to the pilot.