What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 29, 2010 at 1830 CDT, the holder of a private pilot certificate and owner of the aircraft, operated N260PK, a Pitts aerobatics S-2B, on a post-maintenance check flight following an engine tear down inspection. The aircraft departed the Blue sky airport (2TX0), near Amarillo, Texas and climbed to 700 feet above ground level when the engine lost power. The pilot was able to return to the airport and made a successful downwind landing. The engine had not completely failed, but was reported to be surging and running very rough. The pilot stated he believed the engine was generating enough power to taxi and attempted to return to parking. The pilot observed flames emanating from underneath the aircraft and quickly spread all around the aircraft. The pilot shut down the engine and evacuated the aircraft with minor burns. The aircraft was later completely destroyed by fire.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 29, 2010 AT 1830 CDT, THE HOLDER OF A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE AND OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT, OPERATED N260PK, A PITTS AEROBATICS S-2B, ON A POST-MAINTENANCE CHECK FLIGHT FOLLOWING AN ENGINE TEAR DOWN INSPECTION. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE BLUE SKY AIRPORT (2TX0), NEAR AMARILLO, TEXAS AND CLIMBED TO 700 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL DOWNWIND LANDING. THE ENGINE HAD NOT COMPLETELY FAILED, BUT WAS REPORTED TO BE SURGING AND RUNNING VERY ROUGH. THE PILOT STATED HE BELIEVED THE ENGINE WAS GENERATING ENOUGH POWER TO TAXI AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO PARKING. THE PILOT OBSERVED FLAMES EMANATING FROM UNDERNEATH THE AIRCRAFT AND QUICKLY SPREAD ALL AROUND THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR BURNS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LATER COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.