Preflight and Loading
The airplane was loaded with fishing and camping gear, along with 15 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline carried in four five-gallon fuel cans. The fuel cans and gear were secured under a cargo net two days prior to the accident. The pilot completed a preflight inspection, noting no anomalies, and checked the security of the cargo in the back of the airplane. There was no evidence of fuel spillage and no odor of fuel in the cabin at that time.
Run-Up and Smell
The pilot started the engine and taxied to the run-up area at the approach end of a runway. He applied the parking brake and began the takeoff checklist. During the checklist, an "overwhelming fuel smell" was detected. The pilot shut down the engine using the mixture control but left the master switch and the lights on. He looked for fuel on the floor of the cabin but did not see any.
Explosion
The pilot deplaned and was about to close the door when the cabin exploded. The source does not specify any injuries, damage, or further details beyond the explosion occurring at that moment.