<< >> NASA ASRS Report 130466, December 1989

Reciprocating light twin engine commuter has engine fire after takeoff, shuts engine down and returns to landing.

Attributes
ACN	130466
Time
Date	198912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ont
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont tower : tlh
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	130466
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Climbing through 2500, climb was normal. I did notice an erratic right cylinder head temperature (the fire burning through the wires). Within 20 seconds blue and orange flames exited the cowl. My copilot was flying. I immediately took control of the aircraft, secured the right engine while simultaneously turning into my good engine back to ont. Advised ont approach on 122.5 of declaration of emergency, squawked 7700 and elected to land at ont versus chino due to crash equipment availability. I chose runway 8R and landed next to the parked fire equipment. As I secured the aircraft, I instructed my first officer to evacuate the aircraft. Post-flight inspection found that the fire was extinguished in flight. Cause of the fire was exhaust system failure above #5 and 3 cylinders. Formal findings from FAA and NTSB to follow.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RECIPROCATING LIGHT TWIN ENGINE COMMUTER HAS ENGINE FIRE AFTER TKOF, SHUTS ENGINE DOWN AND RETURNS TO LNDG.

Narrative: CLIMBING THROUGH 2500, CLIMB WAS NORMAL. I DID NOTICE AN ERRATIC RIGHT CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE (THE FIRE BURNING THROUGH THE WIRES). WITHIN 20 SECONDS BLUE AND ORANGE FLAMES EXITED THE COWL. MY COPLT WAS FLYING. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT, SECURED THE RIGHT ENGINE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY TURNING INTO MY GOOD ENGINE BACK TO ONT. ADVISED ONT APCH ON 122.5 OF DECLARATION OF EMER, SQUAWKED 7700 AND ELECTED TO LAND AT ONT VERSUS CHINO DUE TO CRASH EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY. I CHOSE RWY 8R AND LANDED NEXT TO THE PARKED FIRE EQUIPMENT. AS I SECURED THE ACFT, I INSTRUCTED MY F/O TO EVACUATE THE ACFT. POST-FLT INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED IN FLT. CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILURE ABOVE #5 AND 3 CYLINDERS. FORMAL FINDINGS FROM FAA AND NTSB TO FOLLOW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.