What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N360W is an experimental Lancair-360 with 8 hours total flight in phase one of the test flying. On this flight, N360W was approximately 7-8 minutes into it's flight from Pearson airpark, Vancouver, WA, when pilot bill cody noticed a puff of smoke come from underneath the instrument panel. He elected to return to the airport immediately landing runway 26 right traffic. Witness statements indicate a white smoke trailed the aircraft and the gear was down. On final approach, Mr. Cody noticed no power available when he added power. He declared an emergency calling mayday, mayday. Mr. Cody elected to land on a parallel highway 14 to his left since he could not make the runway. After touchdown he collided with a garbage truck, glancing off to his left, coming to rest against the center median. With the sideways skidding after hitting the truck, the gear collapsed. Mr. Cody was able to escape the aircraft prior to it being destroyed by fire. We could not determine if the fire was pre- or post-accident. We also could not determine the source of the fire due to the extreme resultant damage. The propeller appeared to be stopped with one blade impacting an object which may have been a small road sign.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N360W IS AN EXPERIMENTAL LANCAIR-360 WITH 8 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT IN PHASE ONE OF THE TEST FLYING. ON THIS FLIGHT, N360W WAS APPROXIMATELY 7-8 MINUTES INTO IT'S FLIGHT FROM PEARSON AIRPARK, VANCOUVER, WA, WHEN PILOT BILL CODY NOTICED A PUFF OF SMOKE COME FROM UNDERNEATH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT IMMEDIATELY LANDING RUNWAY 26 RIGHT TRAFFIC. WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATE A WHITE SMOKE TRAILED THE AIRCRAFT AND THE GEAR WAS DOWN. ON FINAL APPROACH, MR. CODY NOTICED NO POWER AVAILABLE WHEN HE ADDED POWER. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY CALLING MAYDAY, MAYDAY. MR. CODY ELECTED TO LAND ON A PARALLEL HIGHWAY 14 TO HIS LEFT SINCE HE COULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN HE COLLIDED WITH A GARBAGE TRUCK, GLANCING OFF TO HIS LEFT, COMING TO REST AGAINST THE CENTER MEDIAN. WITH THE SIDEWAYS SKIDDING AFTER HITTING THE TRUCK, THE GEAR COLLAPSED. MR. CODY WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO IT BEING DESTROYED BY FIRE. WE COULD NOT DETERMINE IF THE FIRE WAS PRE- OR POST-ACCIDENT. WE ALSO COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE DUE TO THE EXTREME RESULTANT DAMAGE. THE PROPELLER APPEARED TO BE STOPPED WITH ONE BLADE IMPACTING AN OBJECT WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN A SMALL ROAD SIGN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.