What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After departure ignition shorted. Smoke in cockpit. Engine quit. Hit tree tops landing. No airworthy certificate. (-23) aircraft departed bessemer at approximately 1745 hrs. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight to wiggins, MS, the electronics ignition system shorted filling the cockpit with smoke. Within 1 minute of the short of both cdi's, the engine quit. The pilot was required to complete a forced landing. Substantial damage was sustained by the aircraft and the pilot was hospitalized for minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER DEPARTURE IGNITION SHORTED. SMOKE IN COCKPIT. ENGINE QUIT. HIT TREE TOPS LANDING. NO AIRWORTHY CERTIFICATE. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BESSEMER AT APPROXIMATELY 1745 HRS. APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT TO WIGGINS, MS, THE ELECTRONICS IGNITION SYSTEM SHORTED FILLING THE COCKPIT WITH SMOKE. WITHIN 1 MINUTE OF THE SHORT OF BOTH CDI'S, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT WAS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A FORCED LANDING. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PILOT WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.