What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The following summary of events is taken from a written statement provided by the PIC: aircraft performed normally during takeoff roll. Once airborne, the landing gear was retracted. Pilot stated he saw flames coming out of the louvers of the left engine. He then pulled back the left throttle and shut off fuel pump. No noticeable reduction in flames. Pilot feathered the prop, shut down and secured the left engine, and began turning left to attempt a return to runway 19. Flames remained in left engine compartment. Landing gear was lowered during descent for runway 19, but pilot felt gear was lowering slowly due to single engine running close to idle. Still too high to make runway 19, pilot decided to attempt landing on runway 10. Without enough airspeed to make runway 10, pilot believed the last option was to land in the field parallel to runway 10. Pilot initiated an evacuation due to fear of fire.
On-scene inspection of the aircraft took place on 11-24-17. Flight controls found in the following positions:
?L/r throttle full forward
?L prop feathered, r prop full forward
?L/r mixture approx 75% full forward
?L fuel selector on r tank
?R fuel selector normal
?Crossfeed shutoff valve closed
During interview by phone on 12-20-17, pilot stated he did not utilize the fire extinguishing system or refer to his checklist at any time. PIC also said his decision to land in field was because he did not know if the landing gear was up or down.
As the FAA filed it
THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF EVENTS IS TAKEN FROM A WRITTEN STATEMENT PROVIDED BY THE PIC: AIRCRAFT PERFORMED NORMALLY DURING TAKEOFF ROLL. ONCE AIRBORNE, THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED. PILOT STATED HE SAW FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE LOUVERS OF THE LEFT ENGINE. HE THEN PULLED BACK THE LEFT THROTTLE AND SHUT OFF FUEL PUMP. NO NOTICEABLE REDUCTION IN FLAMES. PILOT FEATHERED THE PROP, SHUT DOWN AND SECURED THE LEFT ENGINE, AND BEGAN TURNING LEFT TO ATTEMPT A RETURN TO RUNWAY 19. FLAMES REMAINED IN LEFT ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LANDING GEAR WAS LOWERED DURING DESCENT FOR RUNWAY 19, BUT PILOT FELT GEAR WAS LOWERING SLOWLY DUE TO SINGLE ENGINE RUNNING CLOSE TO IDLE. STILL TOO HIGH TO MAKE RUNWAY 19, PILOT DECIDED TO ATTEMPT LANDING ON RUNWAY 10. WITHOUT ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO MAKE RUNWAY 10, PILOT BELIEVED THE LAST OPTION WAS TO LAND IN THE FIELD PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 10. PILOT INITIATED AN EVACUATION DUE TO FEAR OF FIRE.
ON-SCENE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT TOOK PLACE ON 11-24-17. FLIGHT CONTROLS FOUND IN THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:
?L/R THROTTLE FULL FORWARD
?L PROP FEATHERED, R PROP FULL FORWARD
?L/R MIXTURE APPROX 75% FULL FORWARD
?L FUEL SELECTOR ON R TANK
?R FUEL SELECTOR NORMAL
?CROSSFEED SHUTOFF VALVE CLOSED
DURING INTERVIEW BY PHONE ON 12-20-17, PILOT STATED HE DID NOT UTILIZE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM OR REFER TO HIS CHECKLIST AT ANY TIME. PIC ALSO SAID HIS DECISION TO LAND IN FIELD WAS BECAUSE HE DID NOT KNOW IF THE LANDING GEAR WAS UP OR DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N421RX · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.