What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Hi,
This report is regarding the aircraft fire incident that took place on August 31, 2013. This incident involves privacy data omitted, a flight instructor at California flight academy based at Gillespie field (ksee) and a student pilot privacy data omitted. We started an instructional flight with Piper warrior N8422D taking off from ksee at 1430. We landed back at ksee runway 27L at around 1600. Shortly after clearing the runway on taxiway D4, aircraft engine unexpectedly shut down which we responded to the checklist to restart the engine. We were not able to restart the engine so we proceeded to use the shutdown checklist. Aircraft not being able to taxi to the ramp, we contacted ksee ground control to request assistance. At this moment we noticed the distinct smell of burning and observed smoke coming out of the engine cowling. We immediately double checked to make sure fuel pump and throttle and mixture control was idle cut-off and electric equipment were shut down. We checked the baggage area for a fire extinguisher which we were not able to find. Without a fire extinguisher, we checked the front of the aircraft and saw fire burning underside of the cowling near the exhaust area. Fire went out after burning approximately ten minutes. Heartland fire and rescue responded to the scene and made sure aircraft was safe. We discussed this incident with our chief flight instructor. We determined the reasonable cause of the fire to be the carburetor overflowing with fuel due to high outside air temperature, rich mixture and electric fuel pump being left on at the time of restarting the engine. At California flight academy, we are taking proactive measures to train our students and also instructors to learn from this experience.
privacy data omittedCFI expiration: 01/2015
Dob: privacy data omitted
Last 141 check ride:
Hours in PA-28: 200HRS
Hours in last 90 days: 150HRS
Hours in last year: 400HRS
Total hours: 600HRS
privacy data omitted
Dob: privacy data omitted
Total hours: 50HRS
As the FAA filed it
HI,
THIS REPORT IS REGARDING THE AIRCRAFT FIRE INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE ON AUGUST 31, 2013. THIS INCIDENT INVOLVES ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AT CALIFORNIA FLIGHT ACADEMY BASED AT GILLESPIE FIELD (KSEE) AND A STUDENT PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. WE STARTED AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH PIPER WARRIOR N8422D TAKING OFF FROM KSEE AT 1430. WE LANDED BACK AT KSEE RUNWAY 27L AT AROUND 1600. SHORTLY AFTER CLEARING THE RUNWAY ON TAXIWAY D4, AIRCRAFT ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT DOWN WHICH WE RESPONDED TO THE CHECKLIST TO RESTART THE ENGINE. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE SO WE PROCEEDED TO USE THE SHUTDOWN CHECKLIST. AIRCRAFT NOT BEING ABLE TO TAXI TO THE RAMP, WE CONTACTED KSEE GROUND CONTROL TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE. AT THIS MOMENT WE NOTICED THE DISTINCT SMELL OF BURNING AND OBSERVED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COWLING. WE IMMEDIATELY DOUBLE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE FUEL PUMP AND THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROL WAS IDLE CUT-OFF AND ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT WERE SHUT DOWN. WE CHECKED THE BAGGAGE AREA FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WHICH WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND. WITHOUT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, WE CHECKED THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND SAW FIRE BURNING UNDERSIDE OF THE COWLING NEAR THE EXHAUST AREA. FIRE WENT OUT AFTER BURNING APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES. HEARTLAND FIRE AND RESCUE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AND MADE SURE AIRCRAFT WAS SAFE. WE DISCUSSED THIS INCIDENT WITH OUR CHIEF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. WE DETERMINED THE REASONABLE CAUSE OF THE FIRE TO BE THE CARBURETOR OVERFLOWING WITH FUEL DUE TO HIGH OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE, RICH MIXTURE AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP BEING LEFT ON AT THE TIME OF RESTARTING THE ENGINE. AT CALIFORNIA FLIGHT ACADEMY, WE ARE TAKING PROACTIVE MEASURES TO TRAIN OUR STUDENTS AND ALSO INSTRUCTORS TO LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^CFI EXPIRATION: 01/2015
DOB: ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
LAST 141 CHECK RIDE:
HOURS IN PA-28: 200HRS
HOURS IN LAST 90 DAYS: 150HRS
HOURS IN LAST YEAR: 400HRS
TOTAL HOURS: 600HRS
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
DOB: ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
TOTAL HOURS: 50HRS