ERA24LA144

The pilot was attempting to depart but smelled smoke and returned to the airport. After removing the engine cowling and briefly examining the area of the engine, he secured a “scat tube” to an engine mount with a zip tie and then elected to depart on the accident flight. Shortly after departing, smoke began to enter the cockpit and the engine noise changed. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost total power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane’s landing gear dug into the ground; the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted and was subsequently consumed by fire. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the engine’s exhaust pipe was missing and there was evidence of the components in that area having been exposed to extremely high temperatures. Additionally, fire damage was noted on the lower engine cowling, engine fluid lines, carburetor, and other components beneath the engine. Given these findings, it is likely that hot exhaust from the broken/missing exhaust pipe ignited the composite materials of the lower engine cowling, compromising the fluid lines and other induction components beneath the engine, and resulting in the loss of engine power described by the pilot. Given the pilot’s description of having initially smelled smoke, which prompted his initial return to the airport, had he (or other maintenance personnel) conducted a more thorough examination of the airplane, it is possible that the exhaust leak could have been detected before it resulted in an inflight fire and subsequent loss of engine power.

On March 14, 2024, at 1442 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Sportsman 2+2, N76TG, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Fort Meade, Florida. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Earlier on the day of the accident, the pilot flew uneventfully from Fly In Ranches Airport (FD25), Vero Beach, Florida to Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida. The pilot was later attempting to depart from LAL and described that the outside air temperature was very hot, and that the airplane had idled for longer than he had previously experienced in this time flying it before being cleared to depart. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot smelled a strong “hot” or smoke smell. After conveying his concerns to air traffic control, the pilot returned to the airport and landed. He subsequently taxied, parked the airplane, and shut down the engine. When he opened the engine cowling, he found that a “scat tube” near a header pipe was discolored. He then used a zip tie to secure the tube to an engine mount cross-member, after which he departed on the accident flight, about 1430. While enroute, about 10 miles away from LAL, smoke entered the cockpit and the engine noise changed. Shortly thereafter, the engine stopped producing power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane’s landing gear dug into the ground, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted. The pilot and passenger egressed and the airplane was subsequently consumed by fire. Postaccident examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the engine exhaust pipe was missing, and there was evidence of the components in that area having been exposed to extremely high temperatures. Additionally, fire damage was noted on the lower cowling, engine fluid lines, carburetor, and other components beneath the engine. The entire airframe was consumed by fire.