What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On November 27, 2001, at 1619 EDT, a Mooney M20M, N7775L registered to scott rotary seals, inc., departed Evansville regional airport (evv), Indiana, enroute to indianapolis, Indiana (ind). During climb the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit and decided to return to evv. While returning to the airport the pilot reported fire in the cockpit. The pilot was unable to control the aircraft and the aircraft crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft was engulfed in flames and completely destroyed. The pilot and one passenger received fatal injuries. No one on the ground was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed with terre haute, IN (huf) flight service station.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON NOVEMBER 27, 2001, AT 1619 EDT, A MOONEY M20M, N7775L REGISTERED TO SCOTT ROTARY SEALS, INC., DEPARTED EVANSVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT (EVV), INDIANA, ENROUTE TO INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (IND). DURING CLIMB THE PILOT REPORTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO EVV. WHILE RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT THE PILOT REPORTED FIRE IN THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. NO ONE ON THE GROUND WAS INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED WITH TERRE HAUTE, IN (HUF) FLIGHT SERVICE STATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.