What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N718PF was in phase I flight test. On approach to pike county airport (keop) the pilot noticed the fuel pressure was low. He turned on boost pump and the fuel pressure went back to within the normal range. However, he notice the fuel flow was very high. The pilot stated that this was normal and did not pay much attention. About four milesfrom portsmouth airport, and right after he announced his intention toland on runway 18, he smelled smoke. When he looked down he saw fire infront right along the edge of center tunnel and firewall. He discharged the fire extinguisher and the fire stopped. Immediately alot of smoke filled the cabin. He shut the fuel valve and opened thepilot side door to vent the smoke. The door flew away and some smokeflew out as well. He used the fire extinguisher again and discharged ittoward the tunnel which did not make any difference. The pilot saw through the open door a pasture on the left side and banked hard to land. The airplane flew over a barn and under the telephone line along the road (luther rd, Minford) the pilot pulled the nose up as much as possible and the airplaneimpacted an uphill slope. The airplane slid forward until it stopped over the top of the hill. At this time thefire was still contained in the tunnel. The pilot jumped out of the airplane and called 911.the pilot received a minor burn (1/8" diameter) on his hand. Flm review by rjh 05/10/2011
As the FAA filed it
N718PF WAS IN PHASE I FLIGHT TEST. ON APPROACH TO PIKE COUNTY AIRPORT (KEOP) THE PILOT NOTICED THE FUEL PRESSURE WAS LOW. HE TURNED ON BOOST PUMP AND THE FUEL PRESSURE WENT BACK TO WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE. HOWEVER, HE NOTICE THE FUEL FLOW WAS VERY HIGH. THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL AND DID NOT PAY MUCH ATTENTION. ABOUT FOUR MILESFROM PORTSMOUTH AIRPORT, AND RIGHT AFTER HE ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTION TOLAND ON RUNWAY 18, HE SMELLED SMOKE. WHEN HE LOOKED DOWN HE SAW FIRE INFRONT RIGHT ALONG THE EDGE OF CENTER TUNNEL AND FIREWALL.HE DISCHARGED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND THE FIRE STOPPED. IMMEDIATELY ALOT OF SMOKE FILLED THE CABIN. HE SHUT THE FUEL VALVE AND OPENED THEPILOT SIDE DOOR TO VENT THE SMOKE. THE DOOR FLEW AWAY AND SOME SMOKEFLEW OUT AS WELL. HE USED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AGAIN AND DISCHARGED ITTOWARD THE TUNNEL WHICH DID NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. THE PILOT SAW THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR A PASTURE ON THE LEFT SIDE AND BANKED HARD TO LAND. THE AIRPLANE FLEW OVER A BARN AND UNDER THE TELEPHONE LINE ALONG THE ROAD (LUTHER RD, MINFORD) THE PILOT PULLED THE NOSE UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND THE AIRPLANEIMPACTED AN UPHILL SLOPE. THE AIRPLANE SLID FORWARD UNTIL IT STOPPED OVER THE TOP OF THE HILL. AT THIS TIME THEFIRE WAS STILL CONTAINED IN THE TUNNEL. THE PILOT JUMPED OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AND CALLED 911.THE PILOT RECEIVED A MINOR BURN (1/8" DIAMETER) ON HIS HAND.FLM REVIEW BY RJH 05/10/2011
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.