What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 9, 2019, at approximately 12.10 local time, the pilot of N403MM, a Piper 46-500TP single engine airplane, experienced an engine loss, followed by smoke and fire after aircraft testing. During the testflight the pilot of N403MM lost directional control while executing various developmental sideslips as assigned by engineers from the manufacturer and under the observation of a chase aircraft. The airplane entered an inverted spin, which required the pilot to deploy the spin chute to recover. Normal flight was resumed and while the airplane returned to the airport, the pilot observed low oil pressure and high oil temperature. The crew of the chase aircraft declared an emergency after communicating with the test pilot. While spiraling down overhead of Vero Beach, the pilot noticed unsual engine noise, followed by smoke, fire and complete engine loss. The pilot successfully landed the airplane without any further damage on runway 04 at the Vero Beach Airport, Florida, and was able to exit on taxiway c. the fire crew extinguished the engine fire. The engine and its components were destroyed due to the fire. The pilot experienced no injuries. Further examination of the airplane will reveal the extent of structural or any other damage, which may have been caused by negative g-forces the airplane was exposed to during the inverted spin. VMC conditions were reported at the time of the accident with the winds from 350 degrees at 10 knots and the visibility at least 10 statute miles.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 9, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 12.10 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT OF N403MM, A PIPER 46-500TP SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE, EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE LOSS, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE AND FIRE AFTER AIRCRAFT TESTING. DURING THE TESTFLIGHT THE PILOT OF N403MM LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE EXECUTING VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTAL SIDESLIPS AS ASSIGNED BY ENGINEERS FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND UNDER THE OBSERVATION OF A CHASE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN INVERTED SPIN, WHICH REQUIRED THE PILOT TO DEPLOY THE SPIN CHUTE TO RECOVER. NORMAL FLIGHT WAS RESUMED AND WHILE THE AIRPLANE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT OBSERVED LOW OIL PRESSURE AND HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE. THE CREW OF THE CHASE AIRCRAFT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AFTER COMMUNICATING WITH THE TEST PILOT. WHILE SPIRALING DOWN OVERHEAD OF VERO BEACH, THE PILOT NOTICED UNSUAL ENGINE NOISE, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE, FIRE AND COMPLETE ENGINE LOSS. THE PILOT SUCCESSFULLY LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DAMAGE ON RUNWAY 04 AT THE VERO BEACH AIRPORT, FLORIDA, AND WAS ABLE TO EXIT ON TAXIWAY C. THE FIRE CREW EXTINGUISHED THE ENGINE FIRE. THE ENGINE AND ITS COMPONENTS WERE DESTROYED DUE TO THE FIRE. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED NO INJURIES. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE WILL REVEAL THE EXTENT OF STRUCTURAL OR ANY OTHER DAMAGE, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY NEGATIVE G-FORCES THE AIRPLANE WAS EXPOSED TO DURING THE INVERTED SPIN. VMC CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WITH THE WINDS FROM 350 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS AND THE VISIBILITY AT LEAST 10 STATUTE MILES.