ERA23LA100

The pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane had completed an hour-long local flight, and he was taxiing the airplane back to his hangar when the engine stopped. The pilot then spent about 5 minutes trying to restart the engine before smoke began to enter the cockpit through a heat duct tunnel. The pilot then turned off the fuel, the master switch, and magnetos and exited the airplane. The pilot reported smoke was coming from the cowling in the rear of the pusher-configured airplane. He then emptied a fire extinguisher into the cowling, and the smoke decreased, but did not stop. Flames eventually ignited the cowling and then spread to the fuselage. The local fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. The fire nearly consumed the fuselage and the inboard portions of both wings. The pilot subsequently disposed of the airplane’s wreckage, and it could not be examined after the accident; therefore, the origin of the fire could not be determined.

On December 30, 2022, about 1500 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Cozy Mark IV, N121, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Dublin, Virginia. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot departed from New River Valley Airport (PSK), Dublin, Virginia for a local flight about 1400, and returned to PSK about an hour later. After landing, he started to taxi to his hangar when the engine stopped. The pilot spent about 5 minutes trying to restart the engine when smoke began to enter the cockpit through a heat duct tunnel. The pilot then turned off the fuel, the master switch, and magnetos and exited the airplane. After he exited, he could see smoke coming from the cowling in the rear of the pusher-configured airplane. He emptied a fire extinguisher into the cowling, and the smoke decreased, but did not stop. He saw no flames. The airport manager and one other airport employee arrived within minutes with another fire extinguisher. Smoke was still coming out of the cowling, and they elected to park their truck at a safe distance and stay safely inside. They did not use their fire extinguisher. Flames eventually ignited the cowling and then spread to the fuselage. After the local fire department extinguished the fire, it was determined that the fire had destroyed 90% of the fuselage, 1 fuel tank and the inboard portions of both wings. The pilot stated that he disposed of the airplane’s wreckage about one week after the accident, so it could not be examined after the accident.