What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 5/06/2021 at around 4:30 local CST N54MC entered kdwh airspace for work in the traffic pattern. After the 3rd lap around they landed with the intent of going back to "the flight school".
After touchdown they started slowing down to exit the runway. As soon as they started slowing down, the engine shutdown. But they still had momentum to exit runway 35L on taxiway e. they exited the runway and came to a full stop and advised tower that their engine quit after landing and that they were going to attempt the restart.
During the restart, CFI was handling the restart due to the student being at low time and low experience. CFI treated the restart like a normal restart at first, but after the engine would not start, CFI attempted the vapor lock starting procedure. The engine began to start like normal and that is when CFI introduced fuel. Once he moved the mixture to rich, the aircraft cabin got extremely hot, and they began to see the flames.
At that moment, the student and CFI began evacuating the aircraft due to the smoke entering the cabin and the extreme heat they felt.
After evacuating they got to a safe distance from the aircraft and CFI called the flight school to get some help. Airport rescue and fire fighting was dispatched to extinguish fire. The electric fuel pump was left on after the fire began. The engine compartment was substantially damaged by the fire to include bottom engine cowling and surrounding areas. The engine mount and dampers were substantially damaged. The engine firewall was buckled from heat damage.
As the FAA filed it
ON 5/06/2021 AT AROUND 4:30 LOCAL CST N54MC ENTERED KDWH AIRSPACE FOR WORK IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. AFTER THE 3RD LAP AROUND THEY LANDED WITH THE INTENT OF GOING BACK TO "THE FLIGHT SCHOOL".
AFTER TOUCHDOWN THEY STARTED SLOWING DOWN TO EXIT THE RUNWAY. AS SOON AS THEY STARTED SLOWING DOWN, THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN. BUT THEY STILL HAD MOMENTUM TO EXIT RUNWAY 35L ON TAXIWAY E. THEY EXITED THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO A FULL STOP AND ADVISED TOWER THAT THEIR ENGINE QUIT AFTER LANDING AND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO ATTEMPT THE RESTART.
DURING THE RESTART, CFI WAS HANDLING THE RESTART DUE TO THE STUDENT BEING AT LOW TIME AND LOW EXPERIENCE. CFI TREATED THE RESTART LIKE A NORMAL RESTART AT FIRST, BUT AFTER THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START, CFI ATTEMPTED THE VAPOR LOCK STARTING PROCEDURE. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO START LIKE NORMAL AND THAT IS WHEN CFI INTRODUCED FUEL. ONCE HE MOVED THE MIXTURE TO RICH, THE AIRCRAFT CABIN GOT EXTREMELY HOT, AND THEY BEGAN TO SEE THE FLAMES.
AT THAT MOMENT, THE STUDENT AND CFI BEGAN EVACUATING THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO THE SMOKE ENTERING THE CABIN AND THE EXTREME HEAT THEY FELT.
AFTER EVACUATING THEY GOT TO A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND CFI CALLED THE FLIGHT SCHOOL TO GET SOME HELP. AIRPORT RESCUE AND FIRE FIGHTING WAS DISPATCHED TO EXTINGUISH FIRE. THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP WAS LEFT ON AFTER THE FIRE BEGAN. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BY THE FIRE TO INCLUDE BOTTOM ENGINE COWLING AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE ENGINE MOUNT AND DAMPERS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE ENGINE FIREWALL WAS BUCKLED FROM HEAT DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.