WPR22LA219

According to the pilot, he conducted an uneventful engine run-up and taxi to the runway for departure. During the initial takeoff climb he observed smoke emanating from the instrument panel, followed by flames radiating from the rudder pedal area and followed by a partial loss of engine power. The airplane had enough altitude to clear the trees near the departure end of the runway; the pilot then made a forced landing on a tomato field. During the landing rollout, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The fire subsequently destroyed the airplane. The thermal damage to the engine’s accessories case and firewall suggests that the fire originated near the rear of the engine. However, destruction of the airframe precluded determination of the reason for the in-flight fire.

On June 16, 2022, about 1128 Pacific daylights time, a Cessna, TR182, N756EG, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Davis, California. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that after conducting an uneventful engine run-up, he taxied to runway 17 at the University Airport, Davis (EDU), California, for departure. During the takeoff climb, at an altitude of about 100 ft above ground level (agl), he observed smoke coming from the instrument panel. As the airplane reached an altitude of about 200 ft agl, flames were emitting from the pilot’s rudder pedal area, followed by a partial loss of engine power. The airplane had enough altitude to clear the trees near the departure end of the runway and the pilot made a forced landing in a tomato field. During the landing rollout, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Review of the on-scene photographs provided by the Federal Aviation Administration showed that the airplane had sustained impact damage and had been destroyed by the inflight and postaccident fires. The National Transportation Safety Board conducted a subsequent examination that revealed that the firewall along with the engine, engine mount, and nose landing gear had separated as one unit from the fuselage structure. The engine accessory case had sustained thermal damage; the initiating source of the fire could not be determined due to the amount of thermal damage.