The airplane was destroyed after landing hard at about 1130 Pacific time during a forced landing following an in-flight fire. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
After the airplane leveled off at 10,000 feet msl, smoke began to stream from the lower center console. The pilot initiated an emergency descent. As the airplane descended to about 1000 feet agl, flames began erupting. The pilot performed a forced landing onto a raised dirt road. During the landing flare, the left wing struck a group of trees and the airplane collided with a berm.
