What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 11/15/2015 at 1435 hours EDT, N7035Z, a Sonex experimental aircraft, departed lower creek airport (NC27) with the pilot and one passenger on board. At about 3,000 feet MSL the pilot stated that he and the passenger heard a thump and a bang and the passenger saw the propeller depart the aircraft. The pilot established best glide speed and turned the aircraft towards Foothills Regional Airport (kmrn). The aircraft contacted trees about 200 yards short of the approach end of runway 21. The aircraft came to rest nose down suspended in the trees. The pilot and passenger walked to the FBO and reported the accident. The propeller was recovered by local law enforcement and returned to the owner. Aircraft is a model Sonex Woodrow Larry W, amateur built experimental aircraft with a aircraft total time of 278.5 hours since new. The aircraft was issued an experimental airworthiness certificate 3/8/2006. The last aircraft condition inspection was signed off by privacy data omittedon 04/14/2015. The aircraft had experienced a propeller strike 8/28/2006 at 21.9 actt, the owner replaced the propeller at that time but did not do a "teardown" inspection of the engine.
As the FAA filed it
ON 11/15/2015 AT 1435 HOURS EDT, N7035Z, A SONEX EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, DEPARTED LOWER CREEK AIRPORT (NC27) WITH THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD. AT ABOUT 3,000 FEET MSL THE PILOT STATED THAT HE AND THE PASSENGER HEARD A THUMP AND A BANG AND THE PASSENGER SAW THE PROPELLER DEPART THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT ESTABLISHED BEST GLIDE SPEED AND TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TOWARDS FOOTHILLS REGIONAL AIRPORT (KMRN). THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED TREES ABOUT 200 YARDS SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 21. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN SUSPENDED IN THE TREES. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WALKED TO THE FBO AND REPORTED THE ACCIDENT. THE PROPELLER WAS RECOVERED BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND RETURNED TO THE OWNER. AIRCRAFT IS A MODEL SONEX WOODROW LARRY W, AMATEUR BUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT WITH A AIRCRAFT TOTAL TIME OF 278.5 HOURS SINCE NEW. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ISSUED AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE 3/8/2006. THE LAST AIRCRAFT CONDITION INSPECTION WAS SIGNED OFF BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ON 04/14/2015. THE AIRCRAFT HAD EXPERIENCED A PROPELLER STRIKE 8/28/2006 AT 21.9 ACTT, THE OWNER REPLACED THE PROPELLER AT THAT TIME BUT DID NOT DO A "TEARDOWN" INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.