What happened
The pilot reported that while cruising at an altitude of 11,500 feet mean sea level, smoke began emanating from the lower forward section of the cockpit. This quickly developed into a fire around his feet. In response, the pilot shut down the engine, which caused the fire to subside or extinguish itself.
During the subsequent glide for landing, the pilot attempted to restart the engine. Upon restarting, the fire returned. Despite the ongoing hazard, the pilot managed to execute a controlled forced landing with the fire still active.
The investigation
The source material provides no specific details regarding mechanical examination or post-accident findings beyond the pilot's account of the events.