What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Following return from practice area after approximately .7 hour flight time, the student noticed an odor of smoke in the cabin while on down wind leg for landing. Following a normal approach the student landed with no further problems. Post flight inspection of aircraft revealed that the engine muffler had suffered a catastrophic failure resulting in an engine compartment fire. Damage consisted of extensive charring/burning of numerous engine accessory attach brackets, a hole burned in lower front section of the fiberglass cowling, charring of the fire sleeves on both oil lines, and the complete melting of the back of the air conditioner compressor case.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FOLLOWING RETURN FROM PRACTICE AREA AFTER APPROXIMATELY .7 HOUR FLIGHT TIME, THE STUDENT NOTICED AN ODOR OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN WHILE ON DOWN WIND LEG FOR LANDING. FOLLOWING A NORMAL APPROACH THE STUDENT LANDED WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. POST FLIGHT INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE MUFFLER HAD SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE RESULTING IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. DAMAGE CONSISTED OF EXTENSIVE CHARRING/BURNING OF NUMEROUS ENGINE ACCESSORY ATTACH BRACKETS, A HOLE BURNED IN LOWER FRONT SECTION OF THE FIBERGLASS COWLING, CHARRING OF THE FIRE SLEEVES ON BOTH OIL LINES, AND THE COMPLETE MELTING OF THE BACK OF THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR CASE.
Other reports on N297PA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.