What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated that he took off shortly after 12PM from franklin county state airport, highgate, VT. With the intent of heating the engine sufficient for changing the oil. At approximately 12:12PM at 3000' MSL in level flight on an approximate north west heading the aircraft experienced a loud bang, a violent shudder and damage to the canopy. The pilot noted that the engine stopped immediately and assumed catastrophic structural or propeller failure. He attempted to gain control of the aircraft but quickly realized the aircraft was un-flyable. The pilot then egressed the aircraft and deployed his parachute at an estimated 1000?, landing in a tree 1 and 1/2 miles from aircraft impact. He was rescued from the tree by local fire dept and reported no injuries.
The aircraft impacted the ground at a steep vertical angle on a westerly heading along the side of interstate 89 100 yards north of mile marker 125 in Swanton, VT. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and burned in the post crash fire. Inspection of the aircraft wreckage revealed the propeller hub assembly missing one of the two propeller blades along with the collar device. NTSB has requested that the hub assembly be shipped to the NTSB laboratory for further examination. It should be noted that the whirlwind propeller is not a certificated part and does not meet the reporting criteria for a malfunction or defect report.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF SHORTLY AFTER 12PM FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY STATE AIRPORT, HIGHGATE, VT. WITH THE INTENT OF HEATING THE ENGINE SUFFICIENT FOR CHANGING THE OIL. AT APPROXIMATELY 12:12PM AT 3000' MSL IN LEVEL FLIGHT ON AN APPROXIMATE NORTH WEST HEADING THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOUD BANG, A VIOLENT SHUDDER AND DAMAGE TO THE CANOPY. THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND ASSUMED CATASTROPHIC STRUCTURAL OR PROPELLER FAILURE. HE ATTEMPTED TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BUT QUICKLY REALIZED THE AIRCRAFT WAS UN-FLYABLE. THE PILOT THEN EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT AND DEPLOYED HIS PARACHUTE AT AN ESTIMATED 1000?, LANDING IN A TREE 1 AND 1/2 MILES FROM AIRCRAFT IMPACT. HE WAS RESCUED FROM THE TREE BY LOCAL FIRE DEPT AND REPORTED NO INJURIES.
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A STEEP VERTICAL ANGLE ON A WESTERLY HEADING ALONG THE SIDE OF INTERSTATE 89 100 YARDS NORTH OF MILE MARKER 125 IN SWANTON, VT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED UPON IMPACT AND BURNED IN THE POST CRASH FIRE. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE REVEALED THE PROPELLER HUB ASSEMBLY MISSING ONE OF THE TWO PROPELLER BLADES ALONG WITH THE COLLAR DEVICE. NTSB HAS REQUESTED THAT THE HUB ASSEMBLY BE SHIPPED TO THE NTSB LABORATORY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE WHIRLWIND PROPELLER IS NOT A CERTIFICATED PART AND DOES NOT MEET THE REPORTING CRITERIA FOR A MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT REPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.