What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed jqf en route to fqd with pilot and 1 pax. Aircraft was loaded at jqf transporting supplies to fqd for hurricane relief.
During approach to fqd, pilot heard an audible pop in the cabin of the aircraft. Both the pilot and the pax felt heat directly after the pop. Aircraft was already on final approach at this point at approximately 500 feet AGL. Shortly after, the cabin filled with smoke and flames were noted behind the cockpit seats. Pilot immediately nosed the aircraft over to accelerate touchdown. Smoke cleared enough at the final moment to put the aircraft on the active runway. A hard landing was experienced and aircraft came to full stop. Both personnel exited the aircraft. Aircraft burned substantially on site and was extinguished by fire support, not much remained.
Aircraft was removed from the active runway directly after.
Task
T-EA68-FY25-0191
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED JQF EN ROUTE TO FQD WITH PILOT AND 1 PAX. AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED AT JQF TRANSPORTING SUPPLIES TO FQD FOR HURRICANE RELIEF.
DURING APPROACH TO FQD, PILOT HEARD AN AUDIBLE POP IN THE CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. BOTH THE PILOT AND THE PAX FELT HEAT DIRECTLY AFTER THE POP. AIRCRAFT WAS ALREADY ON FINAL APPROACH AT THIS POINT AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AGL. SHORTLY AFTER, THE CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE NOTED BEHIND THE COCKPIT SEATS. PILOT IMMEDIATELY NOSED THE AIRCRAFT OVER TO ACCELERATE TOUCHDOWN. SMOKE CLEARED ENOUGH AT THE FINAL MOMENT TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT ON THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. A HARD LANDING WAS EXPERIENCED AND AIRCRAFT CAME TO FULL STOP. BOTH PERSONNEL EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT BURNED SUBSTANTIALLY ON SITE AND WAS EXTINGUISHED BY FIRE SUPPORT, NOT MUCH REMAINED.
AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACTIVE RUNWAY DIRECTLY AFTER.
TASK
T-EA68-FY25-0191
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.