# Accident 20210506009299A: Piper PA-28-161, Houston, TX, May 6, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 6, 2021, 17:07 local time
- Place: Houston, TX
- Airport: David Wayne Hooks Memorial Air
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Location: 30.0618° N, 95.5528° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0618&lon=-95.5528&mi=10
- Aircraft: N54MC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N54MC-2023-04-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-320-D3G
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 728 total, 45 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA211) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210506009299A

## Narrative

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

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN21LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA211), May 6, 2021: Piper PA-28-161 (N54MC), Spring, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: An engine fire that resulted from a fuel leak into the carburetor air box due to the electric fuel pump over-pressurizing the carburetor needle/seat assembly. Contributing to the severity of the fire…

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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