What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Enroute from ludington to traverse city the smell of smoke became evident to the occupants. The pilot began descent for an emergency landing. During the descent the smoke and now fire intensified, requiring the pilot to open the window and put his head out to be able to see. After a hard touchdown in a small field the aircraft went over onto its back, the pilot and rear passenger were able to get out on their own. The pilot returned to the burning aircraft and helped the front passenger to escape. (.19) on July 27, 2002, at approximately 1230 eastern daylight time, a Cessna TR182, N756CS, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during an on-ground fire following an emergency descent and landing due to an in-flight fire near Copemish, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries. One passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight departed from mason county airport, ludington, Michigan, at an unconfirmed time, and was en route to cherry capital airport, traverse city, michiga n.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ENROUTE FROM LUDINGTON TO TRAVERSE CITY THE SMELL OF SMOKE BECAME EVIDENT TO THE OCCUPANTS. THE PILOT BEGAN DESCENT FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING THE DESCENT THE SMOKE AND NOW FIRE INTENSIFIED, REQUIRING THE PILOT TO OPEN THE WINDOW AND PUT HIS HEAD OUT TO BE ABLE TO SEE. AFTER A HARD TOUCHDOWN IN A SMALL FIELD THE AIRCRAFT WENT OVER ONTO ITS BACK, THE PILOT AND REAR PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO GET OUT ON THEIR OWN. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE BURNING AIRCRAFT AND HELPED THE FRONT PASSENGER TO ESCAPE. (.19) ON JULY 27, 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 1230 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA TR182, N756CS, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS DESTROYED DURING AN ON-GROUND FIRE FOLLOWING AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AND LANDING DUE TO AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE NEAR COPEMISH, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM MASON COUNTY AIRPORT, LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN, AT AN UNCONFIRMED TIME, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO CHERRY CAPITAL AIRPORT, TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGA N.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.