What happened
During the initial climb phase following takeoff, the pilot reported the smell of smoke inside the cockpit. In an attempt to return to the airfield, the pilot initiated a turn, at which point the engine suffered a complete loss of power. The pilot performed an emergency forced landing in a field located near the airport. During the landing sequence, the aircraft collided with a metal pipe and a fence.
Following the touchdown, all occupants successfully exited the aircraft. It was then observed that a fire had ignited beneath the engine cowling. The impact and subsequent fire caused damage to the forward section of the baggage compartment, the roof, and the area of the engine accessory compartment situated between the aft air baffles and the firewall.
Findings
Investigations into the mechanical failure identified that an engine exhaust crossover pipe assembly was improperly aligned at its slip joint. While a recent maintenance event involving the replacement of these pipes had been conducted approximately 7.5 flight hours prior to the accident, the installation did not adhere to required procedures.
Specifically, the technician responsible for the maintenance failed to correctly align the component during reinstallation. Furthermore, the inspector failed to perform a progressive inspection of the work, instead reviewing the components only after they had been obscured by protective heat shields. This misalignment of the exhaust crossover pipe allowed hot gases to escape into the engine compartment, igniting a fire that damaged essential fuel and oil lines, ultimately leading to the loss of engine power.