What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 13, 2106, at approximately 1420 local, N5823Z departed runway 35. Upon departure, at approximately 100 feet AGL, the PIC noticed smoke coming out of the left lower area in the cockpit. The PIC then elected to immediately turn back toward the runway and attempt to land on runway 17. During the turn back toward the airport, the PIC noticed flames coming from the left floorboard area in the cockpit. The PIC stated he attempted to try and stomp the fire out with no success. Witnesses on the ground reported the aircraft entered a steep turn back toward runway 17, subsequently coming very low and close to the ground and the hangars located to the west end of runway 35/17. PIC stated he observed the runway at about 20 feet AGL but then lost sight of the runway again due to smoke in the cockpit. Witnesses? State the aircraft first contacted the runway about 3000 feet down the runway, which was confirmed with contact marks from the airplane located on the runway. Tire marks on the runway showed that after contacting the runway, the aircraft swerved to the right toward the runway edge, then swerved back toward the centerline. The aircraft then swerved back to the right, where the nose gear collapsed and the propeller struck the runway. Markings on the runway indicated the prop strike and subsequent wing strike on the runway. The aircraft departed the runway and came to rest approximately 4200 feet down the runway. The PIC and the 2 passengers were then able to exit the aircraft while the aircraft continued to burn. The PIC and the 2 passengers sustained minor injuries in the accident. Post flight investigation determined that the engine compartment contained a significant amount of FOD that more than likely contributed to the start of the fire in the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 13, 2106, AT APPROXIMATELY 1420 LOCAL, N5823Z DEPARTED RUNWAY 35. UPON DEPARTURE, AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, THE PIC NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE LEFT LOWER AREA IN THE COCKPIT. THE PIC THEN ELECTED TO IMMEDIATELY TURN BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY AND ATTEMPT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 17. DURING THE TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, THE PIC NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE LEFT FLOORBOARD AREA IN THE COCKPIT. THE PIC STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO TRY AND STOMP THE FIRE OUT WITH NO SUCCESS. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STEEP TURN BACK TOWARD RUNWAY 17, SUBSEQUENTLY COMING VERY LOW AND CLOSE TO THE GROUND AND THE HANGARS LOCATED TO THE WEST END OF RUNWAY 35/17. PIC STATED HE OBSERVED THE RUNWAY AT ABOUT 20 FEET AGL BUT THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE RUNWAY AGAIN DUE TO SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. WITNESSES? STATE THE AIRCRAFT FIRST CONTACTED THE RUNWAY ABOUT 3000 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY, WHICH WAS CONFIRMED WITH CONTACT MARKS FROM THE AIRPLANE LOCATED ON THE RUNWAY. TIRE MARKS ON THE RUNWAY SHOWED THAT AFTER CONTACTING THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT TOWARD THE RUNWAY EDGE, THEN SWERVED BACK TOWARD THE CENTERLINE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SWERVED BACK TO THE RIGHT, WHERE THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE RUNWAY. MARKINGS ON THE RUNWAY INDICATED THE PROP STRIKE AND SUBSEQUENT WING STRIKE ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 4200 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PIC AND THE 2 PASSENGERS WERE THEN ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT WHILE THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO BURN. THE PIC AND THE 2 PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES IN THE ACCIDENT. POST FLIGHT INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CONTAINED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FOD THAT MORE THAN LIKELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE START OF THE FIRE IN THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.