Incident
On October 3, 2024, at approximately 1730 eastern daylight time, a North American Navion airplane, registration N9117R, was substantially damaged in an accident at Rutherford County Airport / Marchman Field (FQD) in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot reported departing Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (JQF) in Concord, North Carolina, with a destination of FQD. During the final approach to runway 19 at FQD, the pilot heard a loud “pop” and felt heat emanating from behind the pilot and copilot’s seats. As the airplane approached the runway threshold, the cabin filled with smoke, and flames became visible inside the cabin. During the landing roll, the airplane’s nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest on the runway.
Damage and Aftermath
The inflight and postaccident fire consumed a majority of the airplane. The wreckage was retained for further examination. No other details have been released regarding the cause of the fire or the extent of the minor injuries sustained by the occupants.