What happened
While en route to the destination airport, the pilot of a Cessna experienced a loss of engine power accompanied by smoke emanating from the front of the aircraft. The pilot notified air traffic control of an engine fire and indicated he was unable to maintain altitude. After being provided with vectors to the nearest airport, the pilot determined that the aircraft could not reach the runway and subsequently performed a forced landing into a field.
During the descent and landing sequence, the aircraft impacted trees, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe.
The investigation
Mechanical examination of the engine focused on the forward cowling area. Investigators found that the lower, right-side cowling exhibited fire damage near the number 1 cylinder exhaust, along with soot accumulation under the same cylinder. While the number 1 exhaust gasket remained intact without evidence of leakage, the Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) probe was found backed out of the exhaust stack by approximately 1/8 inch. Evidence of exhaust gas leakage was identified on this EGT probe.
Analysis of the engine data monitoring system showed no anomalies during the flight. The final recorded data point indicated that fuel to the engine was cut off suddenly. Furthermore, an examination of the fuel servo revealed no mechanical anomalies prior to the impact.