Accident Summary
On the initial climb from Runway 14 at Martin State Airport in Baltimore, Maryland, the airplane's engine experienced a total loss of power and a fire at approximately 300 feet above ground level. The pilot reported declaring an emergency and executing a turn of about 280 degrees to return to the airport.
Sequence of Events
The landing gear was extended, but because of the fire, the nose gear was disabled and did not extend. The pilot performed an emergency landing on Runway 32. The exact circumstances of the power loss and fire were investigated post-accident.
Post-Accident Investigation
Examination of the aircraft revealed a fuel leak in the engine's vapor return line. However, the fuel line had sustained severe fire damage, which prevented investigators from determining the specific failure mode that led to the leak. No other factors were identified in the source.