# NTSB ATL07CA015: Cessna 172G, N4368L, Dalton, GA, November 4, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 4, 2006, 04:40 local (09:40 UTC) - Place: Dalton, GA - Coordinates: 34.720275, -84.868614 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7203&lon=-84.8686&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Atlanta FSDO-11 - NTSB case key (mKey): 64948 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL07CA015 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64948/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL07CA015 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper starting procedures, which resulted in an on-ground engine fire. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, standing - starting engine(s) - starting procedure - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he made a short cross-country flight to drop off a passenger. After the passenger's baggage was unloaded, the pilot returned to his airplane to depart. During the restart of the engine, a small flame "shot" from the exhaust pipe. The pilot stated that [he] "thought the engine exhaust was overheated, and he was going to let it cool down". He waited approximately 10 minutes before attempting to restart the engine. The pilot stated that he made a visual inspection of the engine compartment, and everything was in proper working order. During the second attempt to restart the engine the exhaust pipe caught on fire. The pilot jumped out of the airplane and attempted to extinguish the fire, but was unsuccessful. The pilot attempted to push the airplane away from the flames, but they were streaming from the engine compartment. The stream of fire led to the engine compartment where the fire became intense, and consumed the airplane. ## Factual narrative On November 4, 2006, at 0440 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172G, N4368L, registered to a private owner and operated by a commercial-rated pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, caught of fire during engine start at the Dalton Municipal Airport, Dalton, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed by fire, and the commercial-rated pilot was uninjured. The flight was originating for the Dalton Municipal Airport, at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that he made a short cross-country flight to drop off a passenger. After the passenger's baggage was unloaded, the pilot returned to his airplane to depart. During the restart of the engine, a small flame "shot" from the exhaust pipe. The pilot stated that [he] "thought the engine exhaust was overheated, and he was going to let it cool down". He waited approximately 10 minutes before attempting to restart the engine. The pilot stated that he made a visual inspection of the engine compartment, and everything was in proper working order. During the second attempt to restart the engine the exhaust pipe caught on fire. The pilot jumped out of the airplane and attempted to extinguish the fire but was unsuccessful. The pilot attempted to push the airplane away from the flames, but they were streaming from the engine compartment. The stream of fire led to the engine compartment where the fire became intense, and consumed the airplane. According to the Cessna owner's manual: "Pumping the throttle may cause raw fuel to accumulate in the intake air duct, creating a fire hazard in the event of backfire. If this occurs, maintain a cranking action to suck flames into the engine. An outside attendent with a fire extinguisher is advised for cold starts without pre-heat". ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4368L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4368L-2017-04-04), registration cancelled 2017-04-04, S/N 17254444, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172G - Registry model: [Cessna 172G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (registry code 2072420) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17254444 - Airframe hours: 6800 - Engines: Continental O-300 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard A Wright - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2006, 30 hours before - Departed: MQY, SMYRNA, TN - Destination: DNN, DALTON, GA - Airport: DNN, Dalton Muni ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial, foreign; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 2,750 total, 2,750 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 150° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KDNN ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20061104023739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061104023739A), Nov 4, 2006: Cessna 172G, Dalton, GA, Destroyed. (-23) The pilot [privacy data omitted] made a flight from smyrna, TN (mqy) to Dalton, GA (dnn) to drop off a friend/passenger [privacy data omitted]. Flight… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.