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20160327006229A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-180 · West Mifflin, PA · March 27, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 27, 2016 · 11:00 local
Place
West Mifflin, PA
Phase of flight
Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N16366
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA16LA154
Reported as
Piper PA-28-180
Reported engine
Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,003 total800 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days
N16366Registration cancelled Oct 22, 2018 · Piper PA-28-180S/N 28-7305236 · Built 1973Airframe modelPiper PA-28-180Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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.

At approximately 11:00 am at allegheny county airport, the aircraft was parked on the upper west ramp. The airman planned a local flight and had the aircraft 'topped off'. The airman attempted to start the aircraft 4 times with no success and on the fifth, he tried to start using the flooded start procedure. As the propeller started to spin, white smoke started to billow from under the engine cowling. The airman removed the top cowling and the fire worsened; turning to thick black smoke. The aircraft suffered substantial damage before the fire could be extinguished.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 AM AT ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARKED ON THE UPPER WEST RAMP. THE AIRMAN PLANNED A LOCAL FLIGHT AND HAD THE AIRCRAFT 'TOPPED OFF'. THE AIRMAN ATTEMPTED TO START THE AIRCRAFT 4 TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS AND ON THE FIFTH, HE TRIED TO START USING THE FLOODED START PROCEDURE. AS THE PROPELLER STARTED TO SPIN, WHITE SMOKE STARTED TO BILLOW FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COWLING. THE AIRMAN REMOVED THE TOP COWLING AND THE FIRE WORSENED; TURNING TO THICK BLACK SMOKE. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE BEFORE THE FIRE COULD BE EXTINGUISHED.

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 ERA16LA154Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWest Mifflin, PAThe pilot's failure to follow checklist procedures for an engine fire during start.Mar 27, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N16366 · 1

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

Incident 19800904068659ITakeoff Ground Roll · Fall River, MAPilot attempting takeoff from short runway, late to abort, off runway into bushes.Sep 4, 1980 · Reported as Piper PA28181 · Minor damage