Cessna 177 N30715

Summary

On 25 August 2009 at about 23:25 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N30715, operated by Sonoran Wings, was involved in an accident near Chandler, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 August 2009 at 23:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Chandler, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD)

Coordinates

33.2692, -111.8111

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N30715

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sonoran Wings

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chandler → Tucson

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09LA418

Nobody was injured.

An on-ground fire in the engine compartment for undetermined reasons.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

After attempting to start the engine four times without success the pilot called his flight instructor, who advised him to use the "flooded" procedure. Following an unsuccessful start attempt using the flooded procedure, the pilot was going through the checklist when he heard a "pop" sound, then observed dark smoke coming from the engine. The pilot then exited the airplane while first responders extinguished the fire. The pilot stated that a second fire erupted in the engine compartment and "...the airplane's engine started and the propeller started spinning." The airplane was subsequently destroyed by fire damage. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed extensive fire damage to the engine and forward part of the airframe, which precluded determination of the reason for the fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.