20130925025679A

This aircraft just had an overhauled engine installed at northstar aviation in Ulysses Kansas. The aircraft originally was flown from eads Colorado to Ulysses Kansas to have northstar aviation complete GPS satloc updates. Steve rice from northstar reported that during the original flight from Colorado to his shop the pilot had reported that the engine was leaking oil and experienced higher than normal engine temperatures. Northstar mechanics had determined that the engine blower seals were found to be leaking and the engine total time since overhaul was over 1000 hours. At this time the aircraft owner and steve rice from northstar decided to have the engine replaced.

The engine received was an overhauled exchanged engine by rex thompson in tulsa Oklahoma. Northstar installed the overhauled engine and completed all required rigging and run up leak tests. Rice reported running the engine for at least 1 hour during these tests with no major problems only adjustments were made.

The airframe total time was reported to be 2101.6 hours with a fresh overhauled engine. Rice stated that prior to this aircraft visit the aircraft had sat for 5 years without any operation. The aircraft had an annual inspection completed by randy hays from akron airport Colorado prior to this shop visit to northstar and the only areas that were touched by northstar were the satloc GPS and engine areas.

This was the first visit for this aircraft at northstar. So they did not have any previous history of maintenance activity for this aircraft. Rice reported that the log books were destroyed in the fire.

Rice stated that the pilot was in a rush the afternoon of the incident to leave Ulysses to get back to Colorado before dark so he departed around 06:15 pm for an approximate 220 mile flight. The winds were reported to be blowing from the south 25-28 gust to 40 knots. The aircraft departed to the north west and approximately 10 to 15 minutes in the flight after departure the pilot saw and smelled smoke in the cockpit..

At this time the pilot stated that he turned off the master switch to turn the electrical power off and the engine stopped running right after this. The pilot reported that he was about 200 feet AGL when the engine quit and quickly set up for an emergency landing. The pilot reported that he attemped to restart the engine by turning the electrical fuel pump on. The pilot was unable restart the engine.

It appeared from the smoke in the cockpit that something was on fire so the pilot tried to land on a dirt road. He was unable to make the road because he was landing down wind and ran out of altitude so he ended up having to land in a corn field. When the aircraft landed in the corn field both main landing gears broke from the fuselage and the aircraft came to rest on its belly. The pilot was able to get out of the aircraft without injuries. At this time the aircraft fire had increased and the flames and main heat source seemed to be bellow the hopper area and left wing attach area. The fuel tank selector was reported to be in the left tank position and the fuel boost pump was believe to be on.

Rice reported that the electric fuel pump assembly is located bellow the hopper area and may be an area to look at during our investigation. Again rice stated that they had not worked in this area during this shop visit and did not remove any side panels that did not need to be removed for this visit only to access the work that was accomplished.