Accident Overview
An aircraft crashed in an open field following an in-flight fire. The fire began while the aircraft was cruising at altitude. No emergency calls were made, and the engine that served as the fire source was not shut down.
Sequence of Events
A rear seat passenger reported that he attempted to open a rear door to release smoke but could not hold the door open. He lost consciousness before the crash landing.
Post-Accident Findings
After the accident, investigators found that a manifold was unbolted, with the bolts missing. The manifold had been removed two weeks prior during maintenance. The maintenance records indicated that no torque value was specified for replacing the manifold nuts, though the specified torque value for those nuts is 160–180 inch-pounds. Additionally, the release for the maintenance work was not signed off by the mechanic who performed it, but by the Director of Maintenance, who was a passenger on the aircraft.