# Incident 20101221055529I: Piper PA-28-161, Valkaria, FL, December 21, 2010

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 21, 2010, 07:35 local time
- Place: Valkaria, FL
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: ECPS
- Location: 27.9636° N, 80.5437° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Valkaria, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9636&lon=-80.5437&mi=10
- Aircraft: N615FT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N615FT-2014-08-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 480 total, 102 in this make and model, 102 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101221055529I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AN AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED TO FIT AVIATION IN MELBOURNE ON AN INSTRUCTION FLIGHT WITH TWO STUDENTS WERE PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT THE VALKARIA AIRPORT. DURING ONE OF THE FULL STOP LANDINGS, THE STUDENTS REPOSITIONED FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION. WHEN ATTEMPTING START-UP, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SHOW DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE COWLING, PROPELLER, BOTH LORD & ENGINE MOUNTS, THE ALTIMETER WIRING, BELT AND OTHER ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT. FOLLOW UP PROCEDURES BY THE SCHOOL & MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED IT SHOULD BE MADE KNOWN, BUT NO IMMEDIATE ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. THERE WASN'T AN ON SCENE INVESTIGATION. I SPOKE TO THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AND GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT AS REQUIRED. THEY INFORMED ME THE AIRCRAFT OBTAINED ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. LATER UPON MY INSPECTION AT THE FACILITY, THEY DETERMINED IT WOULD BE EASIER TO REMOVE THE ENGINE IN THE FIELD, TRANSFER IT BACK TO MAKE ALL THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT STATED, THAT IT APPEARS THE CAUSE MAY BE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOODED DURING START- UP CAUSING RAW FUEL INTO THE AIR BOX AND THEN WHILE CRANKING CAUGHT A SPARK FROM THE ALTERNATOR. ALL PRELIMINARY INSPECTIONS DEEM NO PART FAILURE AT THIS TIME.

## Other reports on N615FT (1)

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

- [Incident 20041130033949I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041130033949I), Nov 30, 2004: Piper PA28161 (N615FT), Melbourne, FL, Minor damage. (-23) Aircraft was enroute, bird strike on left wing, leading edge. Minor damage.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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