CEN20LA336

A witness reported that the accident pilot flooded the engine while attempting to start it, as fuel was seen draining from the engine compartment before engine start and smoke was seen coming from the engine compartment after engine start. No smoke was observed when the airplane taxied to the runway. Witnesses and surveillance video confirmed that the airplane was trailing smoke after takeoff, and the pilot transmitted via radio that he was returning to the airport. Data retrieved from an onboard GPS receiver indicated that the airplane reached a peak altitude of about 200 ft above ground level after takeoff, then rolled left from about 30° to about 50° before it rolled rapidly to the right, became inverted, and descended into terrain. The wreckage was mostly consumed by fire. Examination revealed no anomalies with the engine or airframe; however, the scope of the examination was limited due to fire damage. Although no source of fire in-flight could be confirmed, the visual observations of smoke in flight and the pilot’s radio call that he was returning to the airport are consistent with an in flight fire. The investigation could not determine whether fire affected the controllability of the airplane or whether the pilot failed to maintain airplane control while turning back to the airport. No medical evidence was found to indicate the pilot inhaled smoke prior to impact.

On August 16, 2020, about 1320 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N949CG, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Osage Beach, Missouri. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. Witnesses observed and airport security cameras captured the flight preparing to depart on a cross-country flight. A witness adjacent to the accident airplane during startup stated that the pilot flooded the engine and observed fuel coming out of the engine cowling and down the nosewheel. Three engine start attempts could be seen on video before the engine started on the fourth attempt. A large puff of smoke was seen coming out of the engine compartment after the engine started and before the airplane taxied, but no smoke was seen after the airplane began taxiing. Witnesses reported black smoke coming from the engine compartment during takeoff, and surveillance video of the airplane departing confirmed that the airplane was trailing smoke. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported on the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency that he was returning to the airport. The airplane was seen by witnesses entering a left turn about 100 ft above trees before descending steeply into the ground. Data retrieved from an onboard GPS receiver indicated that the airplane reached a peak altitude of about 200 ft above ground level, then rolled left from about 30° to about 50° before it rolled rapidly to the right, became inverted, and descended into terrain. The wreckage was located in a heavily wooded area about .3 miles from the departure end of the runway. Much of the airplane was consumed by fire. A postaccident wreckage examination did not identify any preimpact anomalies with the engine or airframe, and no source of inflight overheating or fire could be identified due to the condition of the wreckage. No pilot logbooks were located during the investigation. No evidence of smoke inhalation was found in either the pilot’s autopsy or toxicological test results. Toxicological test results were negative for all tested for substances.