What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 18, 2019, at 1933 EST a 1985 Piper, model PA-28-161, N43899 that is registered to smtm holdings inc, stopped to refuel the aircraft at page field, (fmy) Fort Myers, FL. After refueling the pilot attempted to start the engine and it would not start so he made another attempt to start the engine and again it would not start. At that time he smelled something burning and told his passengers to evacuate the aircraft. The pilot opened the engine cowling and saw smoke and a small fire. He called Fort Myers approach to advise them of the situation and the fire department extinguished the fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was not filed. The aircraft sustained severe damage to the engine and cowling but the pilot and passengers were not injured.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 18, 2019, AT 1933 EST A 1985 PIPER, MODEL PA-28-161, N43899 THAT IS REGISTERED TO SMTM HOLDINGS INC, STOPPED TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT AT PAGE FIELD, (FMY) FORT MYERS, FL. AFTER REFUELING THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE AND IT WOULD NOT START SO HE MADE ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE AND AGAIN IT WOULD NOT START. AT THAT TIME HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND TOLD HIS PASSENGERS TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT OPENED THE ENGINE COWLING AND SAW SMOKE AND A SMALL FIRE. HE CALLED FORT MYERS APPROACH TO ADVISE THEM OF THE SITUATION AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND COWLING BUT THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED.
Other reports on N43899 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.