Ground fire - the engine caught fire during start.

Attributes
ACN	299207
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : i14
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	299207
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

This aircraft has done this twice before with 2 other commercial pilots. During an engine start (the engine was warm), I first tried no prime and then 2 'accelerator pump' primes. After 1 min of total start time, I tried the flooded engine procedure. The engine fired once (probably the start of the fire), but did not catch. I continued cranking another min total crank time. After no start, I primed the engine twice and cranked another 30 seconds. (Whole time frame approximately 5 mins). I stopped to think for 1 min and then smelled smoke. I got the fire extinguisher and put out a fairly severe engine fire. There was $11000 worth of damage. The fire burned less than 1 min.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND FIRE - THE ENG CAUGHT FIRE DURING START.

Narrative: THIS ACFT HAS DONE THIS TWICE BEFORE WITH 2 OTHER COMMERCIAL PLTS. DURING AN ENG START (THE ENG WAS WARM), I FIRST TRIED NO PRIME AND THEN 2 'ACCELERATOR PUMP' PRIMES. AFTER 1 MIN OF TOTAL START TIME, I TRIED THE FLOODED ENG PROC. THE ENG FIRED ONCE (PROBABLY THE START OF THE FIRE), BUT DID NOT CATCH. I CONTINUED CRANKING ANOTHER MIN TOTAL CRANK TIME. AFTER NO START, I PRIMED THE ENG TWICE AND CRANKED ANOTHER 30 SECONDS. (WHOLE TIME FRAME APPROX 5 MINS). I STOPPED TO THINK FOR 1 MIN AND THEN SMELLED SMOKE. I GOT THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT A FAIRLY SEVERE ENG FIRE. THERE WAS $11000 WORTH OF DAMAGE. THE FIRE BURNED LESS THAN 1 MIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.