What happened
The aircraft departed Montgomery Airport in San Diego, California, utilizing runway 28L for departure. Shortly after leaving the ground, a fire erupted within the upper cowling area of the engine compartment. The pilot responded by executing an emergency landing procedure on runway 05. During the approach and touchdown, the aircraft landed with excessive force, resulting in a hard landing.
The investigation
A thorough examination of the wreckage was conducted to determine the mechanical sequence of events. Investigators found that the number two cylinder had failed near the exhaust port. This failure occurred in close proximity to the turbocharger oil pressure line. Hot gases from the engine compartment burned a hole through this oil line, causing oil to spray onto the exhaust collector, which ignited the fire observed in the upper cowling.
Findings
The primary mechanical failure involved the number two cylinder near the exhaust port. The subsequent breach of the turbocharger oil pressure line allowed hot gases to ignite the leaking oil on the exhaust collector. This sequence led to the in-flight fire and the subsequent hard landing due to the emergency nature of the event.