# Accident 19930202004309A: Piper PA28161, Danbury, CT, February 2, 1993

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 2, 1993, 19:20 local time
- Place: Danbury, CT
- Airport: Danbury Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Starting Engines
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.3715° N, 73.4822° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at DANBURY MUNI (DXR), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3715&lon=-73.4822&mi=10
- Aircraft: N233PA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N233PA-2013-08-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28161
- Reported engine: LYC O320D3G
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 90 total, 40 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC93LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC93LA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930202004309A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ENGINE FIRE ERUPTED ON COLD WEATHER STARTING. HAD OVER PRIMED. FAILED ON TURN OFF BOOST PUMP AND FUEL CUT OFF. (.4) THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW FREEZING. THE PILOT PRIMED THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE. IT RAN FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN STOPPED. HE PRIMED IT SEVERAL TIMES AGAIN AND THEN ATTEMPTED ANOTHER START. AGAIN THE ENGINE STARTED AND THEN STOPPED. HE THEN NOTICED A GLOW ON THE GROUND AND EVACUATED THE PASSENGERS WHILE HE ATTEMPTED TO CRANK THE ENGINE, HOWEVER THE FLAMES SPREAD, AND THE PILOT EVACUATED THE AIRPLANE. THE MASTER SWITCH, ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP, MIXTURE CONTROL AND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WERE LEFT ON. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL, PRIMING IS USED ONLY AFTER THE INITIAL START ATTEMPT. IN ADDITION, IF A FIRE OCCURS DURING START, THE MANUAL SAYS TO SHUT OFF THE MIXTURE AND FUEL SELECTOR. THE PILOT HAD 90 HOURS TOTAL TIME.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC93LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC93LA060), Feb 3, 1993: Piper PA-28-161 (N233PA), Danbury, CT, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR AN ENGINE FIRE DURING STARTING WHICH RESULTED IN THE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S IMPROPER STARTING PROCEDURE AND…

## Other reports on N233PA (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20041011026979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041011026979A), Oct 11, 2004: Piper PA28161 (N233PA), Madison, CT, Destroyed, 2 fatal. (-23) The pilot declared a mayday and established contact with bdl ATC on 121.5. He stated that the engine was out at 4000' and he was descending. He accepted…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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