What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
According to the information provided by the pilot, he was traveling east to west when he sensed a burn smell but he could not identify the source. privacy data omitted Reported that to the ATC in preparation for a possible return to isla grande airport (sig). Soon after finishing the dialogue with the ATC, a thick smoke was in the cabin. privacy data omitted Turned off the master switch, shut off the engine, identified a landing spot and continues downwind but couldn?t make to the landing spot. privacy data omitted Hit some plants and a solid land slope, crashing the aircraft facing east.
The aircraft was found approximately 6 miles west of isla grande airport (sig). Most of the wrekage was confined to the impact area, except the nose landing gear was separated upon impact and ended about 10 feet from the aircraft. The tail of the aircraft was separated from the cabin and under the main landing gear facing west. The wing fuel tanks have approximately 8 gallons of fuel. The engine was partially separated from the firewall. The engine hit the ground about 45 degrees angle, the propeller bent and no sign of rotation. Engines cowlings were separated from the fuselage. On September 24 2015, with the assistance of inspector eric r vallejo and rafael gonzalez inspected aircraft N4057V, during the inspection we found several wires and components burned out; the battery, battery ground wire insulation and several wires in a wire bundle in front of the fire wall and ending under the cockpit. The battery negative terminal wire was grounded to the engine near the engine exhaust. The engine exhaust root had a hole and appeared that hot gases were escaping thru around and heating up the negative wire.
As the FAA filed it
ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE PILOT, HE WAS TRAVELING EAST TO WEST WHEN HE SENSED A BURN SMELL BUT HE COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE SOURCE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORTED THAT TO THE ATC IN PREPARATION FOR A POSSIBLE RETURN TO ISLA GRANDE AIRPORT (SIG). SOON AFTER FINISHING THE DIALOGUE WITH THE ATC, A THICK SMOKE WAS IN THE CABIN. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, IDENTIFIED A LANDING SPOT AND CONTINUES DOWNWIND BUT COULDN?T MAKE TO THE LANDING SPOT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HIT SOME PLANTS AND A SOLID LAND SLOPE, CRASHING THE AIRCRAFT FACING EAST.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES WEST OF ISLA GRANDE AIRPORT (SIG). MOST OF THE WREKAGE WAS CONFINED TO THE IMPACT AREA, EXCEPT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS SEPARATED UPON IMPACT AND ENDED ABOUT 10 FEET FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEPARATED FROM THE CABIN AND UNDER THE MAIN LANDING GEAR FACING WEST. THE WING FUEL TANKS HAVE APPROXIMATELY 8 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE ENGINE WAS PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE FIREWALL. THE ENGINE HIT THE GROUND ABOUT 45 DEGREES ANGLE, THE PROPELLER BENT AND NO SIGN OF ROTATION. ENGINES COWLINGS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. ON SEPTEMBER 24 2015, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF INSPECTOR ERIC R VALLEJO AND RAFAEL GONZALEZ INSPECTED AIRCRAFT N4057V, DURING THE INSPECTION WE FOUND SEVERAL WIRES AND COMPONENTS BURNED OUT; THE BATTERY, BATTERY GROUND WIRE INSULATION AND SEVERAL WIRES IN A WIRE BUNDLE IN FRONT OF THE FIRE WALL AND ENDING UNDER THE COCKPIT. THE BATTERY NEGATIVE TERMINAL WIRE WAS GROUNDED TO THE ENGINE NEAR THE ENGINE EXHAUST. THE ENGINE EXHAUST ROOT HAD A HOLE AND APPEARED THAT HOT GASES WERE ESCAPING THRU AROUND AND HEATING UP THE NEGATIVE WIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.