Accident Details
On May 18, 2009, at about 1715 Pacific daylight time, a Boeing A75N1 Stearman, registration N450JN, experienced an in-flight fire while on landing approach at Roy Williams Airport in Joshua Tree, California. The airline transport pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The aircraft, registered to Stearman Restorations, Inc., of Cottage Grove, Oregon, and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight, which had departed from Chino, California, at 1615 with an intended destination of Joshua Tree.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that while on the downwind leg for landing on runway 12, he added power and observed flames coming out of the top and right side of the engine's cowling. He announced on the airport's common traffic advisory frequency that he had a fire and initiated a turn toward the runway. He landed the airplane uneventfully on the runway, and it came to a stop about midfield. The pilot turned off the fuel and electrical systems and exited the airplane after it stopped. Fire trucks responded and extinguished the fire.
Post-Accident Examination
The pilot, who held airframe and powerplant mechanic certifications, reported that he had recently installed the engine, a Pratt & Whitney R-985-14B, following a major overhaul. The airplane had flown 3.5 hours since the engine installation. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed extensive fire damage to the engine and forward part of the airframe, which precluded determination of the reason for the fire.