NTSB Factual Report

On October 18, 2017, about 1000 eastern daylight time, a Beech A24R, N400LE, impacted hard during a forced landing at Dare County Regional Airport (MQI), Manteo, North Carolina. The private pilot undergoing instruction (PUI), sustained serious injuries while the flight instructor sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged, and was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local, instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the flight which originated about 1 minute earlier.

The flight instructor, who was seated in the right seat, stated that there were no discrepancies with the airplane during the preflight inspection or engine run-up before takeoff. After becoming airborne, when the flight was near the midpoint of the runway at about 100 ft, the cockpit filled with smoke and she noted a burning wire and fire in front of her position. She also reported that the cockpit became hot. She took control from the PUI, and directed the battery and alternator switches to be turned off. She initiated a turn to return to the airport, parallel to runway 17, and reported the airplane impacted hard.

Preliminary examination of the accident site by several Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors revealed the airplane first impacted on airport property east of runway 17 near the approach end of the runway. The airplane came to rest upright about 500 ft and 212° from the initial impact location. Examination of the cockpit by a FAA airworthiness inspector revealed a wire with melted insulation hanging from under the right side of the instrument panel. The airplane was recovered and secured for further examination.