What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot reported in a written statement that he departed the kedu, University Airport, in Davis CA. At approximately 11:19AM. The pilot stated that he rotated at approximately 60 knots and began a normal climb. A few seconds later he noticed smoke coming out of the instrument panel just below the glare shield. He said that he was at 50-100 feet AGL, which was not enough altitude to turn back to the airport, so he decided to land straight ahead. He said that his left shin started hurting. He then looked down and saw flames hitting his left shin. At that time the engine began to lose power. The aircraft touched down in a tomato field which was soft dirt, causing the nosewheel to collapse and the aircraft to flip over and come to a stop upside down. Evidence of the wreckage revealed that the entire cabin area was damaged by fire. The nosewheel was bent back showing that it did collapse. Signatures from the propeller indicate that the engine was not operating at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT REPORTED IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT HE DEPARTED THE KEDU, UNIVERSITY AIRPORT, IN DAVIS CA. AT APPROXIMATELY 11:19AM. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ROTATED AT APPROXIMATELY 60 KNOTS AND BEGAN A NORMAL CLIMB. A FEW SECONDS LATER HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL JUST BELOW THE GLARE SHIELD. HE SAID THAT HE WAS AT 50-100 FEET AGL, WHICH WAS NOT ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT, SO HE DECIDED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. HE SAID THAT HIS LEFT SHIN STARTED HURTING. HE THEN LOOKED DOWN AND SAW FLAMES HITTING HIS LEFT SHIN. AT THAT TIME THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A TOMATO FIELD WHICH WAS SOFT DIRT, CAUSING THE NOSEWHEEL TO COLLAPSE AND THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER AND COME TO A STOP UPSIDE DOWN. EVIDENCE OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE ENTIRE CABIN AREA WAS DAMAGED BY FIRE. THE NOSEWHEEL WAS BENT BACK SHOWING THAT IT DID COLLAPSE. SIGNATURES FROM THE PROPELLER INDICATE THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT OPERATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.