What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After successfully passing his commercial pilot certificate practical test, this pilot was initiating a takeoff from runway 18 at Portland International Jetport. At approximately 200 ft AGL, the pilot stated he heard a loud pop and saw smoke coming from the radio console. Surmizing that he was on fire, the pilot pulled the power off and landed straight ahead. He touched down, with the gear retracted, at the intersection of runways 18 and 29. His aircraft slid off the end of the runway. He stopped approximately 25 ft from the runway. Damage was observed to the propeller and to the bottom of the aircraft. Subsequent investigation showed an audio filter on the back of the audio panel had exploded from electrical current. That explosion caused the smoke and "popping" sound.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER SUCCESSFULLY PASSING HIS COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE PRACTICAL TEST, THIS PILOT WAS INITIATING A TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 18 AT PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL JETPORT. AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FT AGL, THE PILOT STATED HE HEARD A LOUD POP AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE RADIO CONSOLE. SURMIZING THAT HE WAS ON FIRE, THE PILOT PULLED THE POWER OFF AND LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD. HE TOUCHED DOWN, WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED, AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 18 AND 29. HIS AIRCRAFT SLID OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE STOPPED APPROXIMATELY 25 FT FROM THE RUNWAY. DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED TO THE PROPELLER AND TO THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRCRAFT. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED AN AUDIO FILTER ON THE BACK OF THE AUDIO PANEL HAD EXPLODED FROM ELECTRICAL CURRENT. THAT EXPLOSION CAUSED THE SMOKE AND "POPPING" SOUND.
Other reports on N6978R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.