What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 13, 2023 at 1140 local time, a light sport aircraft (LSA) Pipistrel Lsa Srl Sinus, privacy data omitted, registered to and operated by a private pilot received substantial damage following a preflight engine fire on runway 19 at the Iron Mountain Ford airport (imt), Kingsford, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. Both the pilot and passenger received no injuries. The flight originated from the menominee regional airport (mnm), menominee, Michigan.
According to the pilot, he had flown the aircraft to imt for a transponder check. Once the inspection was completed the pilot and passenger started the aircraft and taxied to the main runway without incident. Pilot states the preflight run-up and magneto check were completed and throttle was advanced to takeoff power, immediately the engine quit. No fuel smell was noted. The pilot attempted restart 2 more times with the same result. After the third start attempt the pilot noticed smoke coming from under the engine cowl. The pilot states he shut the fuel valve and magneto switches off and egressed from the aircraft with the passenger.
Airport fire crews responded and extinguished the fire that was fully consuming the front of the aircraft. Following NTSB authorization, the aircraft was towed back to the maintenance facility for storage.
The aircraft and engine are totally fire damaged forward of the firewall with the windshield melted. At this time no cause for the fire has been determined.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 13, 2023 AT 1140 LOCAL TIME, A LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT (LSA) PIPISTREL LSA SRL SINUS, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A PREFLIGHT ENGINE FIRE ON RUNWAY 19 AT THE IRON MOUNTAIN FORD AIRPORT (IMT), KINGSFORD, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE MENOMINEE REGIONAL AIRPORT (MNM), MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT TO IMT FOR A TRANSPONDER CHECK. ONCE THE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED THE PILOT AND PASSENGER STARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND TAXIED TO THE MAIN RUNWAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. PILOT STATES THE PREFLIGHT RUN-UP AND MAGNETO CHECK WERE COMPLETED AND THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED TO TAKEOFF POWER, IMMEDIATELY THE ENGINE QUIT. NO FUEL SMELL WAS NOTED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED RESTART 2 MORE TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULT. AFTER THE THIRD START ATTEMPT THE PILOT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COWL. THE PILOT STATES HE SHUT THE FUEL VALVE AND MAGNETO SWITCHES OFF AND EGRESSED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE PASSENGER.
AIRPORT FIRE CREWS RESPONDED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE THAT WAS FULLY CONSUMING THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. FOLLOWING NTSB AUTHORIZATION, THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED BACK TO THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR STORAGE.
THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE ARE TOTALLY FIRE DAMAGED FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL WITH THE WINDSHIELD MELTED. AT THIS TIME NO CAUSE FOR THE FIRE HAS BEEN DETERMINED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.