What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot privacy data omitted departed mod three times during the accident day. After the first and second takeoff, he reported smoke in the cockpit and returned to mod. Fire equipment was called out both times. After each occurrence, the pilot privacy data omitted performed corrective maintenance to the engine exhaust muffler for what he believed to be the cause of the smoke. After the third takeoff, he reported smoke in the cockpit and that he observed flames. During the landing rollout, the pax exited the a/c and was injured. The a/c continued down the runway at which time the pilot privacy data omitted exited the a/c. shortly thereafter, the a/c was consumed by fire. Inspection of the exhaust muffler found a large hole, approx. 2" dia. At the bottom left end. The exhaust heat/flame burned through the aluminum muffler shroud and ruptured a firewall mounted brake line allowing brake fluid to intensify the engine exhaust flame heat on the firewall. The cockpit/cabin fire appears to have started due to the intense heat radiated through the firewall.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED MOD THREE TIMES DURING THE ACCIDENT DAY. AFTER THE FIRST AND SECOND TAKEOFF, HE REPORTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND RETURNED TO MOD. FIRE EQUIPMENT WAS CALLED OUT BOTH TIMES. AFTER EACH OCCURRENCE, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PERFORMED CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE TO THE ENGINE EXHAUST MUFFLER FOR WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE. AFTER THE THIRD TAKEOFF, HE REPORTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND THAT HE OBSERVED FLAMES. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE PAX EXITED THE A/C AND WAS INJURED. THE A/C CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY AT WHICH TIME THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXITED THE A/C. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE A/C WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. INSPECTION OF THE EXHAUST MUFFLER FOUND A LARGE HOLE, APPROX. 2" DIA. AT THE BOTTOM LEFT END. THE EXHAUST HEAT/FLAME BURNED THROUGH THE ALUMINUM MUFFLER SHROUD AND RUPTURED A FIREWALL MOUNTED BRAKE LINE ALLOWING BRAKE FLUID TO INTENSIFY THE ENGINE EXHAUST FLAME HEAT ON THE FIREWALL. THE COCKPIT/CABIN FIRE APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED DUE TO THE INTENSE HEAT RADIATED THROUGH THE FIREWALL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.