What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot smelled fumes as he attempted to start the acft in the run-up area, the pilot exited the acft, and the acft was destroyed by fire on the ramp. Y(.19) on November 11, 1998, approximately 1240 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N8236Z, was destroyed following a fire in the airplane during taxi at Tri-County Airport, Erie, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was being operated by air west flying club of broomfield, Colorado, under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, he "smelled something funny" and decided to land the airplane. During the taxi to the ramp, the pilot reported that smoke started coming up around his feet. He stopped the airplane, shut the engine down, gathered up some personal possessions, and exited through the cabin door. The subsequent fire consumed the airplane.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT SMELLED FUMES AS HE ATTEMPTED TO START THE ACFT IN THE RUN-UP AREA, THE PILOT EXITED THE ACFT, AND THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE ON THE RAMP. Y(.19) ON NOVEMBER 11, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1240 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-161, N8236Z, WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING A FIRE IN THE AIRPLANE DURING TAXI AT TRI-COUNTY AIRPORT, ERIE, COLORADO. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT IN THE AIRPLANE, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY AIR WEST FLYING CLUB OF BROOMFIELD, COLORADO, UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE "SMELLED SOMETHING FUNNY" AND DECIDED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE. DURING THE TAXI TO THE RAMP, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SMOKE STARTED COMING UP AROUND HIS FEET. HE STOPPED THE AIRPLANE, SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN, GATHERED UP SOME PERSONAL POSSESSIONS, AND EXITED THROUGH THE CABIN DOOR. THE SUBSEQUENT FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRPLANE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8236Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.