Incident
The aircraft was approximately 3.5 miles from the departure airport when the pilot observed smoke in the cockpit. The smoke originated from a fire in the right engine nacelle. The pilot immediately shut down and feathered the right engine and initiated a return to the airport for an emergency landing.
Landing and Post-Landing Fire
The forced landing was executed successfully. Although the aircraft overran the runway end, no damage occurred during the landing phase. After the pilot evacuated, the fire continued to burn, resulting in substantial damage to the wing.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident investigation revealed that the pilot had not shut off the fuel to the affected engine. This oversight increased the intensity of the fire damage. The extensive heat and fire damage prevented investigators from determining the exact origin of the fire. The aircraft had been maintained in accordance with federal regulations, and all applicable airworthiness directives had been accomplished.