Incident Overview
During the climb after takeoff, the pilot noticed an engine fire. The decision was made to divert to Chicago's Midway Airport for an emergency landing. The pilot executed the necessary emergency procedures, which included shutting down the engine, isolating the fuel supply, and disconnecting all electrical loads.
Emergency Landing
When the pilot was confident that the runway was within gliding distance, the landing gear handle was moved to the down position. The pilot deliberately avoided verifying that the gear was down and locked, citing safety reasons. The landing gear did not deploy, and the aircraft touched down with the gear retracted, resulting in a gear-up landing. It was reported that the landing gear is designed to extend when the handle is activated.
Fire Origin
A post-accident inspection of the engine compartment identified the source of the fire. A loose line fitting on a fuel injector nozzle had allowed raw fuel to spray into the compartment, with the fuel directed onto the turbocharger. This contact with the hot turbocharger ignited the fuel.
Aftermath
Following the landing, the aircraft was jacked up and removed from the runway. This occurred before an investigator could arrive at the scene to examine the aircraft in its initial post-accident position.