Piper PA28 N2667Q

Summary

On 20 March 2019 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N2667Q, operated by Bw Aviation Llc, was involved in an accident near Savannah, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 March 2019 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Savannah, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Savannah/Hilton Head Intl (SAV)

Coordinates

32.1283, -81.1983

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N2667Q

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Bw Aviation Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Summerville → Savannah

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA176

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to conduct the engine starting procedures in accordance with the Pilot’s Operating Handbook, which resulted in an engine fire.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, wind pushed the airplane to the right and that he overcompensated with left rudder. The airplane veered left, abruptly rotated about 180°, and then stopped on the runway at a taxiway intersection. The tower controller asked the pilot if he could restart the engine or if he needed a tow. The pilot attempted to restart the engine four to five times. While attempting a "hot start," he saw black smoke coming from the lower left engine cowling. He leaned forward and saw flames in the same location. The pilot searched for a fire extinguisher to no avail. He egressed the airplane without further incident. The pilot added that, during the multiple restarts, he engaged the starter for 5 to 8 seconds and estimated that the time between attempts was about 5 seconds. He attempted a hot start for the first couple of attempts. After he observed the engine fire, he attempted a flooded start. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The director of maintenance reported that the fire extinguisher was located in the seat pocket behind the copilot's seat. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 360° at 10 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 10. The Pilot's Operating Handbook, Section 3.7, "Engine Fire During Start," stated the following: Engine fires during start are usually the result of overpriming. Section 4.13, "Starting Engine," stated the following: Starter manufacturers recommend that cranking periods be limited to thirty sections with a two minute rest between cranking periods. Longer cranking periods will shorten the life of the starter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.