WPR26LA227

On June 21, 2026, about 1210 Pacific daylight time, an Emigh Trojan A-2, N8329H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Healdsburg, California. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the flight instructor, the flight departed on a planned visual flight rules cross-country instructional flight. The takeoff and initial climb were normal. About 7 to 8 minutes after departure, while the airplane was about 2,200 ft mean seal level, the propeller separated from the engine. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and maneuvered it for a forced landing in a plowed vineyard. After touchdown, the airplane traveled over rough terrain and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest on a dirt road within the vineyard. The fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage during the impact sequence. The propeller was not recovered. Photographs provided by an FAA inspector revealed that the crank flange fractured from the crankshaft. (See figure 1). The airplane was recovered for further examination. Figure 1: Fractured Crankshaft (Courtesy of FAA)