20220504006609I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-28-180 · Fresno, CA · May 4, 2022

Date: May 4, 2022 · 11:00 local
Place: Fresno, CA
Airport: Fresno Chandler Executive
Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N4507T
Reported as: Piper PA-28-180
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 920 total

N4507TRegistered now · Piper PA-28-180S/N 28-7205174 · Built 1972 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-180 Engine 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.

After completing check ride with student pilot, the flight instructor attempted to start the engine unsuccessfully. Waited 10-seconds per placard in cabin between starts. When cranking the starter on second attempt the pilot saw smoke and flames coming out of the cowling. The pilot immediately exited the aircraft and put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. Pilot reported there was no maintenance issues or abnormal indications in the flight prior to this attempted start.

As the FAA filed it

AFTER COMPLETING CHECK RIDE WITH STUDENT PILOT, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE UNSUCCESSFULLY. WAITED 10-SECONDS PER PLACARD IN CABIN BETWEEN STARTS. WHEN CRANKING THE STARTER ON SECOND ATTEMPT THE PILOT SAW SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE COWLING. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. PILOT REPORTED THERE WAS NO MAINTENANCE ISSUES OR ABNORMAL INDICATIONS IN THE FLIGHT PRIOR TO THIS ATTEMPTED START.