What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)During normal cruise climb pilot heard slight "hissing" sound vicinity of the engine compartment. This was followed by the smell of fumes and the sighting of smoke from the aircraft defroster system. No physical indication of a fire was noticed. Pilot did not notice any loss of available engine power and landed the airplane without further incident. Upon inspection of the airplane engine compartment, the number three cylinder exhaust manifold was disconnected from the engine cylinder. The two bolts securing the manifold to the cylinder were missing, additionally, the exhaust stack which is connected to the engine muffler was hanging loosely below the muffler.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)DURING NORMAL CRUISE CLIMB PILOT HEARD SLIGHT "HISSING" SOUND VICINITY OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE SMELL OF FUMES AND THE SIGHTING OF SMOKE FROM THE AIRCRAFT DEFROSTER SYSTEM. NO PHYSICAL INDICATION OF A FIRE WAS NOTICED. PILOT DID NOT NOTICE ANY LOSS OF AVAILABLE ENGINE POWER AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE ENGINE CYLINDER. THE TWO BOLTS SECURING THE MANIFOLD TO THE CYLINDER WERE MISSING, ADDITIONALLY, THE EXHAUST STACK WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE MUFFLER WAS HANGING LOOSELY BELOW THE MUFFLER.
Other reports on N8721N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.