20070717019179I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-28-161 · Meriden, CT · July 17, 2007

Date: July 17, 2007 · 16:00 local
Place: Meriden, CT
Airport: Meriden Markham Municipal
Phase of flight: Starting Engines
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N81748
Reported as: Piper PA28161
Reported engine: Lycoming O320D3G
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,189 total1,000 in this make and model13 in the last 90 days

N81748Registration cancelled Oct 23, 2008 · Piper PA-28-161S/N 28-8216131 · Built 1982 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-161 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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) After refueling the aircraft the pilot taxied to the north end runway (18) for takeoff. Due to incoming traffic he decided to taxi back to the south end for departure. While still on the taxiway at the south end of the runway (36) the aircraft's engine stalled. The pilot stated that he attempted a "hot start" with no success. He moved the mixture to the idle cut off position and shut off the electric fuel pump. During the second start he heard a small backfire and saw some smoke coming from the engine cowling. The pilot and passenger exited and attempted to put out the engine fire. A bystander helped them extinguish the engine fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER REFUELING THE AIRCRAFT THE PILOT TAXIED TO THE NORTH END RUNWAY (18) FOR TAKEOFF. DUE TO INCOMING TRAFFIC HE DECIDED TO TAXI BACK TO THE SOUTH END FOR DEPARTURE. WHILE STILL ON THE TAXIWAY AT THE SOUTH END OF THE RUNWAY (36) THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE STALLED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED A "HOT START" WITH NO SUCCESS. HE MOVED THE MIXTURE TO THE IDLE CUT OFF POSITION AND SHUT OFF THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. DURING THE SECOND START HE HEARD A SMALL BACKFIRE AND SAW SOME SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COWLING. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE ENGINE FIRE. A BYSTANDER HELPED THEM EXTINGUISH THE ENGINE FIRE.