What happened
Shortly after departing, the pilot of the aircraft observed flames originating from the left engine nacelle. In an attempt to manage the emergency, the pilot reduced throttle and deactivated the fuel boost pump, but the fire persisted. The crew proceeded to feather the propeller and shut down the engine. To maintain visual contact with the ground, the pilot descended below the cloud layer to stay within the local traffic pattern.
During the emergency descent, the aircraft moved through areas of low cloud cover. The pilot struggled to maintain alignment with the departure runway and attempted to redirect the aircraft toward an alternative runway. However, as the airspeed dropped, it became clear the aircraft lacked the energy to reach the paved surface. Consequently, the pilot executed a landing in an adjacent grassy area. Upon impact, the landing gear detached from the airframe. The aircraft type sustained significant damage to the lower fuselage and the wings.
Findings
An inspection of the left engine identified a fuel leak occurring at the point where the fuel mixture control shaft enters the fuel injector body. This leak likely allowed fuel to spray onto the hot turbocharger, igniting the in-flight fire. There were no recent maintenance logs indicating any recent work performed on the fuel injection system. Additionally, the pilot encountered weather conditions including rain, snow, and clouds as low as 500 feet, which likely hindered the ability to maintain visual references for a runway landing.