What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 15, 2000, at 1530 mr eugene farrell was preflighting his a/c. on his attempt for take-off he experienced a decrease in the rpm's when applying carburetor heat. Mr. Farrell then proceeded to push the control forward. Gradually he applied carbuetor heat and the control seemed to come back further than usual and much easier. A rapid drop was accomplished by backfiring. To keep the prop turning, Mr. Farell pushed the control forward. Eugene raised the rpm's to help correct the problem with a third attempt on the carburetor heat. At this moment Mr. Farell noticed white smoke on both sides of the cowling. As he proceeded to exit the a/c, mr farrell noticed the entire underside of the engine was in flames.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 15, 2000, AT 1530 MR EUGENE FARRELL WAS PREFLIGHTING HIS A/C. ON HIS ATTEMPT FOR TAKE-OFF HE EXPERIENCED A DECREASE IN THE RPM'S WHEN APPLYING CARBURETOR HEAT. MR. FARRELL THEN PROCEEDED TO PUSH THE CONTROL FORWARD. GRADUALLY HE APPLIED CARBUETOR HEAT AND THE CONTROL SEEMED TO COME BACK FURTHER THAN USUAL AND MUCH EASIER. A RAPID DROP WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY BACKFIRING. TO KEEP THE PROP TURNING, MR. FARELL PUSHED THE CONTROL FORWARD. EUGENE RAISED THE RPM'S TO HELP CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH A THIRD ATTEMPT ON THE CARBURETOR HEAT. AT THIS MOMENT MR. FARELL NOTICED WHITE SMOKE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COWLING. AS HE PROCEEDED TO EXIT THE A/C, MR FARRELL NOTICED THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE WAS IN FLAMES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.