On July 9, 1987, a Grumman G-164B (registration N6609Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Mcdougal, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The cause of the fire could not be determined due to the total destruction of the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot detected smoke and fire in the engine cowling during takeoff roll, immediately aborting the departure and evacuating safely before total destruction by fire.
What happened
The aircraft was accelerating down the runway for takeoff when the pilot noticed a distinct odor of smoke inside the cockpit. Recognizing the severity of the situation, the pilot promptly applied brakes to halt the aircraft's forward motion. He then shut off the fuel supply and toggled relevant electrical switches to mitigate potential hazards. Following these shutdown procedures, the pilot evacuated the cabin. Observations indicated that flames were actively emanating from the engine cowling area.
The investigation
Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the aircraft completely consumed by fire. The intensity of the blaze resulted in total structural destruction of the airframe. Due to this extensive damage, investigators were unable to examine the engine or wiring systems to determine the specific mechanical failure or ignition source that initiated the fire.
Findings
The primary finding is that the fire occurred during the critical takeoff phase. The rapid detection and abort by the pilot allowed for a safe evacuation despite the total loss of the aircraft. The exact origin of the fire remains undetermined due to the complete destruction of evidence.
Probable cause
The cause of the fire could not be determined due to the total destruction of the aircraft.