# Accident 19981111031759A: Piper PA28161, Erie, CO, November 11, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 11, 1998
- Place: Erie, CO
- Airport: Tri-County Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Idling Engines
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.8898° N, 105.1095° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8898&lon=-105.1095&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8236Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8236Z-2000-05-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28161
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA020) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981111031759A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 DEN99LA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA020), Nov 11, 1998: Piper PA-28-161 (N8236Z), Erie, CO, destroyed. Probable cause: The shorting of the aluminum battery wire and the subsequent failure of the fuel line. Factors were the weak/deteriorated battery, the insufficient information in the airplane's POH about charging an…

## Other reports on N8236Z (1)

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

- [Incident 19920302007299I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920302007299I), Mar 2, 1992: Piper PA28161 (N8236Z), Vero Beach, FL. Lost stabilator yoke effectiveness while performing chandelles. Landed safely. Found stabilator cable had broken.

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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