20060930026379I

Incident · Destroyed

FAA incident report · Univar 415-C · Meriden, CT · September 30, 2006

Date: September 30, 2006 · 19:15 local
Place: Meriden, CT
Airport: Meriden Markham Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Starting Engines
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N99866
Reported as: Univar 415C
Reported engine: Continental C75*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,250 total950 in this make and model

N99866Registration cancelled Mar 16, 2007 · Ercoupe 415-CS/N 2489 · Built 1946 Airframe modelErcoupe 415-C Engine modelContinental A&C75 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On 09-30-06, at 1930 local in Meriden Markham airport (mmk), aircraft N99866 was destroyed by fire during an attempted hand propping start by the registered owner. The aircraft, a 1946 Ercoupe serial number 2489, had the exterior polished and was to be repositioned to its respective tie down spot. As reported by the owner, the aircraft battery was weak and the engine would not start using the normal start procedure. The owner elected to manually hand prop the engine while the aircraft was chocked, and at that time, a loud pop was heard with visible flames coming from the engine cowling area. An attempt to get the portable hand fire extinguisher located in the cockpit was made, but the flames quickly progressed throughout the aircraft. A call to 911 as made, and the Meriden fire department arrived and extinguished the fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 09-30-06, AT 1930 LOCAL IN MERIDEN MARKHAM AIRPORT (MMK), AIRCRAFT N99866 WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE DURING AN ATTEMPTED HAND PROPPING START BY THE REGISTERED OWNER. THE AIRCRAFT, A 1946 ERCOUPE SERIAL NUMBER 2489, HAD THE EXTERIOR POLISHED AND WAS TO BE REPOSITIONED TO ITS RESPECTIVE TIE DOWN SPOT. AS REPORTED BY THE OWNER, THE AIRCRAFT BATTERY WAS WEAK AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START USING THE NORMAL START PROCEDURE. THE OWNER ELECTED TO MANUALLY HAND PROP THE ENGINE WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS CHOCKED, AND AT THAT TIME, A LOUD POP WAS HEARD WITH VISIBLE FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COWLING AREA. AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE PORTABLE HAND FIRE EXTINGUISHER LOCATED IN THE COCKPIT WAS MADE, BUT THE FLAMES QUICKLY PROGRESSED THROUGHOUT THE AIRCRAFT. A CALL TO 911 AS MADE, AND THE MERIDEN FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE.