What happened
During the initial climb phase following departure from Jacksonville-Towers Field NAS, the flight crew reported a mechanical failure involving the left engine. This malfunction resulted in an active fire within the engine compartment. As the incident progressed, smoke began to infiltrate both the cockpit and the passenger cabin.
In response to the rapidly deteriorating conditions, all 34 occupants initiated an emergency bailout procedure. The crew and passengers utilized parachutes to descend from the aircraft. While the evacuation was successful, the aircraft type not specified in the report continued its descent uncontrollably, eventually impacting the terrain in the vicinity of the airbase.
Findings
Investigations into the incident determined that the primary factor leading to the emergency was a fire that developed in the left engine shortly after the aircraft departed the runway.