Bonanza 35
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 900; Flight Crew Type 800
Troubleshooting; Workload; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Airport; Human Factors
I departed with 2 passengers; headed to ZZZ. My route of flight was straight out departure to ZZZ1 and [route] at 3;500. There was a bright full moon out and a marine layer over ZZZ1 and ZZZ2. As I passed over ZZZ1 I smelled a rubber/plastic odor. I have smelled that before in the [general local area]; nevertheless I kept close watch on the JPI. Approximately 1 mile south of ZZZ2 the odor increased and the engine started making a loud racket and lost power. I pulled back the throttle to 15 inches and pulled the prop back to 2100 rpm. I also initiated a turn back to ZZZ2. I called ZZZ2 tower and advised them I had an engine out and was coming in for an emergency landing. The controller asked me to go to ZZZ3 as it was closer and I said negative; I had an engine out and I was a landing at ZZZ2; requesting XXL. Note that ZZZ2 was obscured by [low clouds and fog]. The controller came back and directed me to XYL.I proceeded to XYL; I was way above the glide slope so dropped the gear and made wide S turns to lose altitude. I landed on XYL; noting on the JPI that Number 1 cylinder was out and that I still had oil pressure. Tower directed me to [a taxiway] and I advised them that I had enough power to taxi to the ramp. They gave me a ground frequency for taxi; but I couldn't raise anybody. I went back to tower; but the radios were jammed and I couldn't get through. I heard a transmission to follow the 'follow car'; and we proceeded to taxi to the ramp. I continued trying to raise ground and could not get through; meanwhile the follow car was making long pauses.On one of these pauses we were stationary behind heavy iron about a 1/2 mile ahead of us. The engines spooled up and blasted us with the jet wash. I pushed the yoke forward and held the brakes while the planed bounced violently.I transmitted multiple times to ground advising them that I needed to expedite as I didn't know how long the engine would stay running. We were stationary between XXR and XXL for quite some time; and I transmitted again the need to expedite. Suddenly the JPI indicated a rapid loss of oil pressure and I cut the engine. I had the passengers get out of the plane and we observed smoke and fire in the engine bay as well as oil on the taxiway. We all got into the officer's car and backed up from the plane in case the fuel tanks exploded. Firefighters came on the scene and they doused the engine with hydro and the fire went out. We towed the plane to [the FBO].
BE35 pilot reported engine malfunction shortly after takeoff and diverting to a nearby airport. Upon landing the engine caught fire.