What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 14, 2001, at 1030 EDT, a Piper PA-28, N554HA, registered to Venice flying service, experienced an engine compartment fire after landing at Venice Municipal Airport, Venice, Florida, after a local test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the airline transport rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated at Venice, Florida, on June 14, 2001, at 0930 hours. After landing at Venice, the PIC turned onto the taxiway and brought the aircraft to a stop, at which time the engine stalled. His first attempt to restart was unsuccessful. He cleared the engine by cranking with full throttle and the mixture in idle cutoff. On his second start attempt the engine again failed to start, and upon seeing smoke, he ceased cranking the engine and evacuated the aircraft. The aircraft was positioned on the taxiway 90 degrees to the prevailing wind. As a result most of the fire damage is to the left side of the engine compartment. The aircraft had a two-year history of intermittent stalling problems after landing. The carburetor had been replaced on four occasions, including the day of the fire. The fuel and ignition systems had been checked repeatedly during troubleshooting and various repairs accomplished to include spark plug replacement, internal magneto timing, and fuel filter cleaning. Several cylinder replacements had been accomplished to correct low compression. Valve timing had been checked. (.4) during taxi after landing the airplane's engine stalled. The pilot's first attempt to restart was unsuccessful. He cleared the engine by attempting to restart with full throttle and the mixture in idle cutoff. On his second start attempt the engine again failed to start, and upon seeing smoke, he ceased cranking the engine, and exited the airplane most of the fire damage was to the left side of the engine compartment. The airplane had a 2-year history of intermittent stalling problems after landing. The carburetor had been replaced on four occasions, including the day of the fire. The fuel and ignition systems had been checked repeatedly during troubleshooting and various repairs accomplished to include spark replacement, internal magneto timing, and fuel filter cleaning.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 14, 2001, AT 1030 EDT, A PIPER PA-28, N554HA, REGISTERED TO VENICE FLYING SERVICE, EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE AFTER LANDING AT VENICE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, VENICE, FLORIDA, AFTER A LOCAL TEST FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT VENICE, FLORIDA, ON JUNE 14, 2001, AT 0930 HOURS. AFTER LANDING AT VENICE, THE PIC TURNED ONTO THE TAXIWAY AND BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT TO A STOP, AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE STALLED. HIS FIRST ATTEMPT TO RESTART WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE CLEARED THE ENGINE BY CRANKING WITH FULL THROTTLE AND THE MIXTURE IN IDLE CUTOFF. ON HIS SECOND START ATTEMPT THE ENGINE AGAIN FAILED TO START, AND UPON SEEING SMOKE, HE CEASED CRANKING THE ENGINE AND EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS POSITIONED ON THE TAXIWAY 90 DEGREES TO THE PREVAILING WIND. AS A RESULT MOST OF THE FIRE DAMAGE IS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD A TWO-YEAR HISTORY OF INTERMITTENT STALLING PROBLEMS AFTER LANDING. THE CARBURETOR HAD BEEN REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, INCLUDING THE DAY OF THE FIRE. THE FUEL AND IGNITION SYSTEMS HAD BEEN CHECKED REPEATEDLY DURING TROUBLESHOOTING AND VARIOUS REPAIRS ACCOMPLISHED TO INCLUDE SPARK PLUG REPLACEMENT, INTERNAL MAGNETO TIMING, AND FUEL FILTER CLEANING. SEVERAL CYLINDER REPLACEMENTS HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED TO CORRECT LOW COMPRESSION. VALVE TIMING HAD BEEN CHECKED. (.4) DURING TAXI AFTER LANDING THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE STALLED. THE PILOT'S FIRST ATTEMPT TO RESTART WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE CLEARED THE ENGINE BY ATTEMPTING TO RESTART WITH FULL THROTTLE AND THE MIXTURE IN IDLE CUTOFF. ON HIS SECOND START ATTEMPT THE ENGINE AGAIN FAILED TO START, AND UPON SEEING SMOKE, HE CEASED CRANKING THE ENGINE, AND EXITED THE AIRPLANE MOST OF THE FIRE DAMAGE WAS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE AIRPLANE HAD A 2-YEAR HISTORY OF INTERMITTENT STALLING PROBLEMS AFTER LANDING. THE CARBURETOR HAD BEEN REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, INCLUDING THE DAY OF THE FIRE. THE FUEL AND IGNITION SYSTEMS HAD BEEN CHECKED REPEATEDLY DURING TROUBLESHOOTING AND VARIOUS REPAIRS ACCOMPLISHED TO INCLUDE SPARK REPLACEMENT, INTERNAL MAGNETO TIMING, AND FUEL FILTER CLEANING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.