ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 282514
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 26 November 2021 |
| Time: | 10:00 |
| Type: |  Cessna F172M Skyhawk |
| Owner/operator: | ExecutiveFlight |
| Registration: | PH-EFA |
| MSN: | F17201104 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Unknown |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lelystad Airport (EHLE) -
 Netherlands
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | |
| Departure airport: | Lelystad Airport (LEY/EHLE) |
| Breda International Airport (EHSE) | |
| Investigating agency: | Dutch Safety Board |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
The Cessna F172M with registration PH-EFA had been parked outside all night in front of the hangar at Lelystad Airport. Around 10:00 hours, the pilot wanted to start the aircraft for a flight to Breda International Airport. Starting the engine was difficult. During the fourth attempt, the pilot saw smoke coming from beneath the engine cowl and immediately stopped the start attempt. The pilot then stepped out of the aircraft.
Meanwhile, flames were visible at the engine air inlet.
The pilot called for help and an employee came from the hangar with a portable fire extinguisher. The safeguard of the extinguisher was however difficult to remove, which led to delayed extinguishing. After emptying the fire extinguisher, the flames were not yet extinguished.
The fire brigade of Lelystad Airport extinguished the fire shortly after. The outside temperature at Lelystad Airport
at 10:00 hours was 4.5° C.
The aircraft was equipped with a Lycoming engine with carburettor and manual primer. This primer injects vapourized fuel near the inlet of each cylinder at the inlet manifold, to aid in starting of the (cold) engine. The pilot stated to have used the primer in total approximately ten times during the first three starting attempts. He indicated that he also used the throttle during the third starting attempt, because the engine almost seemed to start. At the fourth, and last, starting attempt, the pilot indicated he primed another two or three times, without the use of the throttle.
After the occurrence, the maintenance organisation did not notice any abnormalities or leakages in the engine, the fuel system and ignition apart from the fire damage incurred. The fire damage indicates that the engine had caught fire under the engine cowl. The most probable cause of the engine fire was overpriming of the engine, whereby excess fuel accumulates in the inlet manifold and around the air intake. If the engine backfires, the ignited fuel in the cylinder
can - through the intake valve - reach the inlet manifold, igniting the fuel present there.
The possibility of an engine backfire increases at low temperature, because the starting capacity of a cold battery is lower, which reduces the rotational speed of the starter motor (and therefore of the engine). After a few start attempts, the starting speed further decreases.
Sources:
https://www.onderzoeksraad.nl/nl/media/inline/2022/9/7/quarterly_aviation_report_q2_2022.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Sep-2022 08:42 | harro | Added |
| 15-Nov-2022 23:53 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation