What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While operating in the Mesa, AZ area on a pleasure flight, the aircraft made a loud noise and began vibrating violently, at the same time losing thrust. The pilot reduced power, set up for best glide @ 50 mph, and executed an emergency landing in a dry river bed off airport. The rotor and landing gear contacted high sage brush, causing the aircraft to roll over. The pilot (the sole occupant) exited the aircraft safely without injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage when it rolled over. Investigation revealed that an engine exhaust clamp, located directly in front of the propeller, had failed and gone through the composite propeller. As a consequence, one blade of the three-bladed propeller broke off, causing the vibration and loss of thrust.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE OPERATING IN THE MESA, AZ AREA ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT MADE A LOUD NOISE AND BEGAN VIBRATING VIOLENTLY, AT THE SAME TIME LOSING THRUST. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER, SET UP FOR BEST GLIDE @ 50 MPH, AND EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A DRY RIVER BED OFF AIRPORT. THE ROTOR AND LANDING GEAR CONTACTED HIGH SAGE BRUSH, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL OVER. THE PILOT (THE SOLE OCCUPANT) EXITED THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY WITHOUT INJURY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT ROLLED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AN ENGINE EXHAUST CLAMP, LOCATED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE PROPELLER, HAD FAILED AND GONE THROUGH THE COMPOSITE PROPELLER. AS A CONSEQUENCE, ONE BLADE OF THE THREE-BLADED PROPELLER BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE VIBRATION AND LOSS OF THRUST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.