20071003020519A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-151 · Salt Lake City, UT · October 3, 2007

Date: October 3, 2007 · 10:57 local
Place: Salt Lake City, UT
Airport: Salt Lake City Municipal 2
Phase of flight: Idling Engines
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8549F
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA08CA004
Reported as: Piper PA28151
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,540 total2,800 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days

N8549FRegistration cancelled Sep 23, 2008 · Piper PA-28-151S/N 28-7715280 · Built 1976 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-151 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) With intention to fly, taxied to runup area. Shut down engine and exited aircraft to retrieve headsets from cargo area. Returned to aircraft and from right seat started aircraft (no backfire or any other abnormality was observed during the start). While reaching across aircraft to retrieve checklist from left sidewall pouch, the pilot felt heat on his face, but no flames or smoke were seen and no smoke was smelled. The pilot then opened the cabin door and saw flames coming from the lower right engine cowl. The pilot closed the mixture control, shutting down the engine, and exited the aircraft. Master electrical power switch remained on, fuel selector was in the right fuel tank position, throttle was closed and the primer pump was closed and locked. Electric fuel pump remained powered with master electrical power switch on. The fire spread from the engine area to the cabin and the aircraft was destroyed by the fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WITH INTENTION TO FLY, TAXIED TO RUNUP AREA. SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND EXITED AIRCRAFT TO RETRIEVE HEADSETS FROM CARGO AREA. RETURNED TO AIRCRAFT AND FROM RIGHT SEAT STARTED AIRCRAFT (NO BACKFIRE OR ANY OTHER ABNORMALITY WAS OBSERVED DURING THE START). WHILE REACHING ACROSS AIRCRAFT TO RETRIEVE CHECKLIST FROM LEFT SIDEWALL POUCH, THE PILOT FELT HEAT ON HIS FACE, BUT NO FLAMES OR SMOKE WERE SEEN AND NO SMOKE WAS SMELLED. THE PILOT THEN OPENED THE CABIN DOOR AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE LOWER RIGHT ENGINE COWL. THE PILOT CLOSED THE MIXTURE CONTROL, SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE, AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. MASTER ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH REMAINED ON, FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK POSITION, THROTTLE WAS CLOSED AND THE PRIMER PUMP WAS CLOSED AND LOCKED. ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP REMAINED POWERED WITH MASTER ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH ON. THE FIRE SPREAD FROM THE ENGINE AREA TO THE CABIN AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE FIRE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA08CA004Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSalt Lake City, UTThe leak at the fuel line fitting, which resulted in a fire during engine start.Oct 3, 2007 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8549F · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19960504027369IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Salt Lake City, UTNarrative: after departure, the pilot noticed a vibration and a radio call from another aircraft on the ground confirmed that the left landing gear had been damaged and was "hanging" under the aircraft. The aircraft landed on the strut and remaining wheel.…May 4, 1996 · Minor damage