What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was returning to the airport and engaged in banner towing operations. Smoke began entering the cockpit, followed by the onset of a small fire located forward of the left and lower section of the firewall. In response to the developing situation, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft to attempt a landing in an open field.
Upon approaching the landing site, the pilot attempted to ventilate the cabin by opening the right cabin door, all air vents, and the window on the left side. However, these actions did not mitigate the issue; instead, the intensity of the fire and smoke increased. To improve visibility during the final approach, the pilot released the banner in an open area and slipped the aircraft to reduce airspeed.
After touchdown, the nose gear failed structurally. This failure caused the aircraft to nosed over onto its fuselage and subsequently caught fire. The pilot was able to exit the wreckage without sustaining physical injuries but required medical treatment for smoke inhalation.
The investigation
Examination of the accident site revealed clear evidence of an in-flight fire. The damage and heat exposure were concentrated in the area where the fuel line was routed, specifically just forward of the firewall and near the pilot's left rudder pedal. Components such as the fuel strainer and several fuel line connectors were located within this affected zone.
While these components were not consumed by the flames, they had been exposed to significant heat during the event. The failure of the nose gear occurred after the initial fire had begun, suggesting it was a result of the crash dynamics rather than the primary cause of the fire.