# Accident 20230123000489A: Piper PA-28-180, Raleigh, NC, January 23, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 23, 2023, 18:50 local time
- Place: Raleigh, NC
- Airport: Raleigh-Durham International A
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.8776° N, 78.7875° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8776&lon=-78.7875&mi=10
- Aircraft: N747PK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N747PK-2024-05-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 224 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA118) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230123000489A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PRACTICE NIGHT LANDINGS IN THE PATTERN WITH HIS FIANCE.  AFTER A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT THE PILOT:

· PRIMED ENGINE 4 TIMES – MIXTURE FULL RICH – THROTTLE ½ INCH OPEN – ENGAGED STARTER FOR 10-15 SECONDS, NO START.

· WAITED 1 MINUTE.

· PRIMED ENGINE 5 TIMES – THROTTLE FULL OPEN THEN CLOSED THEN OPEN ½ INCH – ENGAGE STARTER FOR 10-15 SECONDS, ENGINE ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO START BUT NO START.

· WAITED 1 MINUTE.

· PRIMED ENGINE 2 TIMES – THROTTLE BETWEEN ¼ AND ¾ - ENGAGE STARTER FOR 20 SECONDS, ENGINE ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO START BUT NO START.

· WAITED 5 MINUTES

· USED “FLOODED START” PROCEDURE – THROTTLE FULL OPEN – MIXTURE IDLE CUT OFF – ENGAGE STARTER – SMELLED AN OILY SMOKY SMELL, PASSENGER OPENED THE DOOR AND SAW SMOKE, AND PILOT SAW A GLOW ON LEFT SIDE OF AIRCRAFT.

· PILOT USED “ENGINE FIRE DURING START” PROCEDURE – FUEL SELECTOR OFF – MIXTURE IDLE CUT OFF – STARTER ENGAGED FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS. SMOKE STARTED FILLING THE CABIN AND PILOT AND

PASSENGER EVACUATED AIRCRAFT.

PILOT TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH THE ONBOARD FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT WAS UNABLE.  AIRPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. PASSENGER INJURED HERSELF WHILE EVACUATING THE AIRCRAFT.  THE PASSENGER FELL GETTING OFF THE WING, SCRAPING HER LEG AND ELBOW AND HAS A BUMP ON HER WRIST.

DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE FLYING CLUB'S CHECKLIST THAT WAS IN THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT MATCH THE AIRPLANE'S FLYING MANUAL (AFM) PROCEDURES FOR COLD START, HOT START, AND FLOODED START, AND THE PROCEDURES WERE WRONG.

IT WAS ALSO DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN AFM SUPPLEMENTAL CHECKLIST TO THE NORMAL COLD START PROCEDURE PER THE PETERSON AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL SUPPLEMENT THAT WAS NOT INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE FLYING MANUAL (IMPROPER INSTALL) THAT WAS ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE.  THE PILOT HAD NO ACCESS TO THE NEW STARTING PROCEDURE.  IN MY OPINION, NOT HAVING THE AFM SUPPLEMENTAL CHECKLIST START PROCEDURE MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FIRE.

## 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 ERA23LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA118), Jan 23, 2023: Piper PA28 (N747PK), Raleigh/Durham, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's flooding the engine with fuel during a cold engine start, which resulted in an engine 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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