Incident Overview
During the takeoff roll, the pilot was distracted by inbound traffic and delayed retracting the landing gear. Simultaneously, the engines were not synchronized, and the pilot experienced difficulty in achieving smooth engine operation. He then noticed a fire developing near the left engine. The pilot shut down and feathered the left engine, after which the fire subsided.
Because the hydraulic pump was driven by the left engine, the pilot had to use the hand pump to retract or extend the landing gear. He delayed pumping the gear up, and subsequently realized that he would be unable to return to the departure airport. As a result, he performed a landing in a grassy area with the landing gear retracted.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the aircraft revealed fire damage in the vicinity of the fuel injector and alternator. A fuel leak was found at the mixture control valve (part number 2522591), where the O-rings around the valve stem were worn. Additionally, a teardown of the alternator showed that the brushes and armature were worn to the extent that sparking could occur. The density altitude at the time was approximately 8,500 feet.