Accident Overview
On May 13, 2016, about 1430 central daylight time, a Piper PA-22, N5823Z, was substantially damaged during an emergency landing at Sumner County Regional Airport (M33) in Gallatin, Tennessee. The private pilot and two passengers were uninjured. The airplane was privately owned and operated. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that upon arriving at the airplane for preflight inspection, the cockpit contained three live baby birds. No nest was visible, but an elevator opening was uncovered—a rag placed there months earlier was missing. The pilot completed the preflight without further evidence of bird activity. After engine start and a 5-minute taxi, the pilot departed runway 35.
During initial climb at about 100 feet above ground level, black smoke began pouring from the left side rudder area. The pilot attempted a 180-degree steep turn back to runway 17. During the turn, fire emanated from the left side of the rudder pedal area. The pilot tried to stomp out the fire near his left foot but could not extinguish it. The cockpit filled with smoke, limiting visibility. He touched down at an airspeed between 30 and 40 knots but could not see the runway.
A witness reported that after touchdown, the airplane's tail started moving back and forth. The airplane bounced several times, swerved, departed the right side of the paved runway surface, and nosed over into the grass about two-thirds down the runway. After coming to rest, the passengers and pilot evacuated before the airplane became engulfed in flames.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He reported 959 total flight hours, with 159 in the accident airplane make and model. An annual inspection was completed on September 1, 2015, at which time the airframe had 4,013 total hours.
Post-Accident Examination
The airplane came to rest on its nose, about 45 degrees nose down, approximately 3,700 feet down runway 17 and 6 feet off the paved surface. Both propeller blades exhibited chordwise scraping and were curled aft. The engine compartment was fire-damaged, with the most severe damage located aft of the engine near the firewall. The fire propagated aft from the engine compartment through the cockpit, left wing, fuselage, and tail. The right wing and right elevator remained largely intact with fabric covering. Examination of the engine revealed remnants of a bird nest between the top of the exhaust manifold and the firewall. No other abnormalities were noted.