# Incident 20190218011049I: Piper PA-28-161, Fort Myers, FL, February 18, 2019

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 18, 2019, 19:33 local time
- Place: Fort Myers, FL
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.6406° N, 81.8723° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Fort Myers, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.6406&lon=-81.8723&mi=10
- Aircraft: N43899, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N43899) (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
- Pilot flight hours: 1,170 total, 29 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190218011049I

## Narrative

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

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.

- [Incident 20241218018399I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241218018399I), Dec 18, 2024: Piper PA-28-161 (N43899), Brooksville, FL, No damage. The pilot took off from X50 massey ranch airpark after a 100 hour inspection. 10 minutes into the flight the pilot lost throttle response and made an off field…
- [Incident 19901002064469I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901002064469I), Oct 2, 1990: Piper PA28161 (N43899), Indianapolis, IN, Minor damage. Student inadvertently turned fuel selector off. Engine quit. Forced landing. Stop button inoperative.

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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