What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 11/25/23 at approximately 1720 the aircraft departed on a VFR flight from (27AZ) eagle roost private airpark (aquila, AZ) with a planned destination of Buckeye (kbxk). At 1730 the PIC noticed smoke in the cockpit, then small flames emitting from the top of the engine cowl. The PIC declared an emergency on radio frequency 121.5 and looked for a suitable landing spot. The PIC spotted a straight section of wickenburg road with no traffic. The PIC set up to land on the road. The PIC secured the fuel pump, shut the fuel valve off, and descended rapidly to the road. He made an uneventful landing and pulled the aircraft off to the side of the road. The PIC then was able to extinguish the fire by smothering it with a jacket and towels which he had in the back of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON 11/25/23 AT APPROXIMATELY 1720 THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM (27AZ) EAGLE ROOST PRIVATE AIRPARK (AQUILA, AZ) WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF BUCKEYE (KBXK). AT 1730 THE PIC NOTICED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, THEN SMALL FLAMES EMITTING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE COWL. THE PIC DECLARED AN EMERGENCY ON RADIO FREQUENCY 121.5 AND LOOKED FOR A SUITABLE LANDING SPOT. THE PIC SPOTTED A STRAIGHT SECTION OF WICKENBURG ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC. THE PIC SET UP TO LAND ON THE ROAD. THE PIC SECURED THE FUEL PUMP, SHUT THE FUEL VALVE OFF, AND DESCENDED RAPIDLY TO THE ROAD. HE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING AND PULLED THE AIRCRAFT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE PIC THEN WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BY SMOTHERING IT WITH A JACKET AND TOWELS WHICH HE HAD IN THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT.