Accident Piper PA-28-161 N84175,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 298133
 
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Date:Friday 25 August 2017
Time:09:30 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic P28A model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-28-161
Owner/operator:
Registration: N84175
MSN: 28-8116274
Year of manufacture:1981
Total airframe hrs:6928 hours
Engine model:Lycoming O-320-D3G
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Palatka, Florida -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Training
Departure airport:St. Augustine Airport-Northeast Florida Regional Airport, FL (UST/KSGJ)
Destination airport:Palatka, FL (28J)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The flight instructor, student pilot, and pilot-rated passenger flew on a short cross-country instructional flight to practice stop-and-go landings. On the first landing, after touchdown, the student pilot reduced the engine power to idle, and the engine lost total power. The airplane stopped on the runway, and the student pilot noted that the electric fuel pump was still on from landing and that the mixture control was full forward. He tried to start the engine while he "pumped" the throttle, but it did not start. He stated he thought the engine was flooded, so he turned off the electric fuel pump and pulled the mixture control to the "off" position, but again the engine would not restart. He then pushed the mixture control back to full forward and tried to start the engine while pumping the throttle a couple more times, but the engine did not start. The student pilot then saw smoke coming out of the engine cowling and notified the flight instructor and passenger.

The flight instructor performed the "engine fire on start checklist," told everyone to egress, and went to the cargo door to get the fire extinguisher while the passenger opened the engine cowling. When the flight instructor looked at the fire extinguisher, she noticed it was empty. The flight instructor and passenger noted that the fire was at the bottom of the engine around the carburetor and gaining in intensity. The passenger located a fire extinguisher at the airport's fixed-base operator, and when he returned, the engine compartment was fully engulfed by fire. Subsequently, the fire was extinguished by the portable extinguishers and the local fire department.

Examination of the airplane revealed that the engine compartment, engine mounts, and firewall were substantially damaged by fire. The flight instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause: The student pilot's overpriming of the engine and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in an engine fire.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ERA17CA295
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 2 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB ERA17CA295

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
15-Oct-2022 13:28 ASN Update Bot Added

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