What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated that he had been flying the aircraft for about 40 minutes. He then returned to the Helena airport and made a touch and go. After he retracted the gear and flaps, he noticed flames coming out of the right exhaust stack. He reduced power and pulled the fire extinguisher. He stated that upon doing so, the engine quit. He felt that he was too low to make it back to the airport, so he made an approach to land on york road. He said that due to traffic on the road, he decided to land in a field adjacent to the road. During the landing, the aircraft went through a fence, and came to rest in an alfalfa field. The main gear and the nose gear collapsed, and the pilot, who was the sole occupant, received a minor injury to his forehead.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN FLYING THE AIRCRAFT FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. HE THEN RETURNED TO THE HELENA AIRPORT AND MADE A TOUCH AND GO. AFTER HE RETRACTED THE GEAR AND FLAPS, HE NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE RIGHT EXHAUST STACK. HE REDUCED POWER AND PULLED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. HE STATED THAT UPON DOING SO, THE ENGINE QUIT. HE FELT THAT HE WAS TOO LOW TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE AIRPORT, SO HE MADE AN APPROACH TO LAND ON YORK ROAD. HE SAID THAT DUE TO TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD, HE DECIDED TO LAND IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO THE ROAD. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT WENT THROUGH A FENCE, AND CAME TO REST IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. THE MAIN GEAR AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED A MINOR INJURY TO HIS FOREHEAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.