What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On October 5, 2001, about 1550 pacific daylight time, an experimental ellsberg one design, N55TE, nosed over during a forced landing about eight miles north of Bend, Oregon. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, received minor injuries, and the aircraft, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR part 91 aerobatic practice flight, which departed Bend municipal airport about 1545, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation. According to the pilot, just after he entered the aerobatic box, and while still at cruise, the engine began to violently shake. He therefore shut the engine off, and began a glide toward a forced landing on a nearby road. During the descent, the entire aircraft continued to vibrate to such a degree that the pilot was concerned about the engine separating from the airframe. When he reached the ground, the pilot landed on a road, but during the landing roll, the aircraft departed the road and nosed over in the soft terrain. According to the pilot, a quick check of the engine area revealed that a propeller counterweight had separated from its mounting tab.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON OCTOBER 5, 2001, ABOUT 1550 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL ELLSBERG ONE DESIGN, N55TE, NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING ABOUT EIGHT MILES NORTH OF BEND, OREGON. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE 14 CFR PART 91 AEROBATIC PRACTICE FLIGHT, WHICH DEPARTED BEND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT ABOUT 1545, WAS BEING OPERATED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF AN ELT ACTIVATION. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, JUST AFTER HE ENTERED THE AEROBATIC BOX, AND WHILE STILL AT CRUISE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE. HE THEREFORE SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, AND BEGAN A GLIDE TOWARD A FORCED LANDING ON A NEARBY ROAD. DURING THE DESCENT, THE ENTIRE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO VIBRATE TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT THE PILOT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENGINE SEPARATING FROM THE AIRFRAME. WHEN HE REACHED THE GROUND, THE PILOT LANDED ON A ROAD, BUT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE ROAD AND NOSED OVER IN THE SOFT TERRAIN. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, A QUICK CHECK OF THE ENGINE AREA REVEALED THAT A PROPELLER COUNTERWEIGHT HAD SEPARATED FROM ITS MOUNTING TAB.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.