# NTSB CHI95LA234: Piper PA-23-250, N6092Y, Michigan City, IN, May 23, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 23, 1995, 14:40 local (19:40 UTC) - Place: Michigan City, IN - Coordinates: 41.70948, -86.869644 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7095&lon=-86.8696&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9955 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI95LA234 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9955/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA234 ## Probable cause reason for the occurrence was undetermined. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, taxi - from landing - 1 engine - fire - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER SHUT DOWN ON THE RAMP, HE NOTICED SIGNS OF AN ENGINE FIRE IN THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING. A FIRE TRUCK WAS SUMMONED AND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED. A WITNESS REPORTED FIRE COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE AS IT BACK TAXIED TO THE TERMINAL. HE SAW TWO PEOPLE JUMP OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER IT STOPPED, AND PEOPLE USING PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS UNTIL THE FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE INTENSE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE FIRE BURNED THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR DOORS, BOTTOM ENGINE COWLING, AND THE TOP ENGINE COWLING TO ABOUT 10 INCHES BEHIND THE FIRE WALL. IT APPEARED THAT THE FIRE STARTED ABOVE THE TURBO CHARGER UNIT. FIRE OCCURRED IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE FIREWALL. EXTENSIVE HEAT DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE FIREWALL AND THE ENGINE ACCESSORIES. THE HYDRAULIC AND FUEL HOSES ABOVE THE TURBO CHARGER WERE DESTROYED. ## Factual narrative On May 23, 1995, at 1440 central daylight time, a Piper PA-23- 250, N6092Y, sustained substantial damage as a result of an engine fire after the landing phase of flight. The commercial pilot reported no injury to himself or to the passenger. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight departed Seymour, Indiana, en route to Michigan City, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that after shut down on the ramp at Michigan City, he noticed signs of an engine fire in the right engine cowling. A fire truck was summoned and the fire extinguished. A witness reported that he saw the airplane taxiing and turning around at the south end of runway 20. As it turned and started back taxiing down the runway, he saw fire coming from the right engine. He saw the airplane taxi to the terminal and two people jump out after the aircraft had stopped. He reported that people used portable fire extinguishers until the firefighters arrived and put out the fire. The Federal Aviation Administration examined the airplane on June 30, 1995, and determined that the aircraft had received substantial damage as a result of severe fire damage to the right engine, engine compartment, nacelle, and adjacent airframe structures. On August 11, 1995, an Airworthiness Inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration inspected the aircraft. He reported that the intense heat from the engine fire burned the right landing gear doors, bottom engine cowling, and the top engine cowling to about ten (10) inches behind the firewall. He found six (6)quarts of oil showing on the dip stick on the right engine and no signs of oil leakage. He turned the propeller by hand and the engine appeared to turn freely. The magnetos were destroyed by the engine fire. He reported that it appeared that the fire started above the turbo charger unit. Fire occurred in the area between the engine and back of the engine firewall. Due to the high heat at the firewall, extensive damage was done to the firewall and the engine accessories. The hydraulic and fuel hoses above the turbo charger were destroyed. He reported that the cause of the fire could not be determined at this point. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6092Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6092Y), registered now, S/N 27-3298, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 27-3298 - Airframe hours: 3289 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-J4A5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: R.G.B. Aircraft Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 3, 1995 - Departed: SER, SEYMOUR, IN - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MGC, Michigan City, runway 20, 4,100 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 5,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 4,900 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Temperature: 70 °F ## 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 19950523026369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950523026369A), May 23, 1995: Piper PA23250, Michigan City, IN, Substantial damage. Shutdown after landing noted fire right engine. Put out. Intense heat burned cowl etc. Origin turbocharger area. (-23) on may 23, 1995, N6092Y was observed to… 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.