PA-28 pilot reported experiencing an engine fire during a start attempt.

Attributes
ACN	1619725
Time
Date	201902
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Parked
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Total 1080
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

Narrative:

Tried to start the aircraft but it didn't want to start. I let it cool down then tried again. Then I smelled a burning smell. I told my friend to exit the aircraft; then I went to check the engine. When I opened [the cowling] I noticed that there was [a] fire. I told my friend to get as far as possible from the aircraft because we had no time to try to [extinguish] the fire. It was next to the fuel tanks. Then I called [ATC and] told them to send the fire people because the aircraft engine is on fire. [A] few minutes later they came and [extinguished] the fire.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA-28 pilot reported experiencing an engine fire during a start attempt.

Narrative: Tried to start the aircraft but it didn't want to start. I let it cool down then tried again. Then I smelled a burning smell. I told my friend to exit the aircraft; then I went to check the engine. When I opened [the cowling] I noticed that there was [a] fire. I told my friend to get as far as possible from the aircraft because we had no time to try to [extinguish] the fire. It was next to the fuel tanks. Then I called [ATC and] told them to send the fire people because the aircraft engine is on fire. [A] few minutes later they came and [extinguished] the fire.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.