What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed runway 18 at Canton on VFR flight to pontiac, IL. After left hand turn out the pilot and sole occupant switched to peoria ATIS. After listening to ATIS the pilot was getting ready to contact peoria approach when he noticed smoke coming from the left side of the instrument panel. Pilot estimated altitude at 1000 to 1200 ft. and total time aloft was 1 minute. Pilot immediately turned north and executed a very short base to final, runway 18. Pilot stated that by that time the aircraft was quickly filling up with black smoke. He opened the vent window and the door and stated the last thing he saw was that he was over the runway, maybe 5 to 10 ft. in the air. It was at this time that the smoke got so thick that he lost all sight. He eased the aircraft onto the runway and pushed on the right rudder pedal and felt the aircraft roll into the grass. By now flames were visible from the left side of the panel. The pilot exited the aircraft and ran to the airport office. The pilot had minor burns to both feet and was experiencing difficulty breathing.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 18 AT CANTON ON VFR FLIGHT TO PONTIAC, IL. AFTER LEFT HAND TURN OUT THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT SWITCHED TO PEORIA ATIS. AFTER LISTENING TO ATIS THE PILOT WAS GETTING READY TO CONTACT PEORIA APPROACH WHEN HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. PILOT ESTIMATED ALTITUDE AT 1000 TO 1200 FT. AND TOTAL TIME ALOFT WAS 1 MINUTE. PILOT IMMEDIATELY TURNED NORTH AND EXECUTED A VERY SHORT BASE TO FINAL, RUNWAY 18. PILOT STATED THAT BY THAT TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS QUICKLY FILLING UP WITH BLACK SMOKE. HE OPENED THE VENT WINDOW AND THE DOOR AND STATED THE LAST THING HE SAW WAS THAT HE WAS OVER THE RUNWAY, MAYBE 5 TO 10 FT. IN THE AIR. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT THE SMOKE GOT SO THICK THAT HE LOST ALL SIGHT. HE EASED THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE RUNWAY AND PUSHED ON THE RIGHT RUDDER PEDAL AND FELT THE AIRCRAFT ROLL INTO THE GRASS. BY NOW FLAMES WERE VISIBLE FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PANEL. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND RAN TO THE AIRPORT OFFICE. THE PILOT HAD MINOR BURNS TO BOTH FEET AND WAS EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY BREATHING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.