Pilot of piper warrior experiences engine compartment fire on start up.

Attributes
ACN	461503
Time
Date	200001
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 310 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	461503
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : fire crew
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : unable
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During engine start, engine backfired and flame resulted. Flame was easily seen in near darkness. Upon seeing flame, I cut mixture and continued cranking engine per checklist. Fire seemed to be out. Also turned gas off. As I exited the aircraft to inspect engine compartment, thick black smoke billowed out of engine compartment. I opened cowling and observed fire under engine near carburetor. I went into cabin to find extinguisher and it was not where I expected it to be. I looked through baggage compartment and did not find the extinguisher. By this time the smoke was quite thick and I felt it was best to get away from the plane and summon help. The bags were left in the plane, and I could have gotten an extinguisher out of the hangar, but did not feel I should enter the plane again. The fire crew was there in about 5 mins, and promptly extinguished the fire. The damage upon inspection was not nearly as bad as it looked. The reason I am writing this is to encourage an addition to checklist to find the fire extinguisher before engine start. It will be something I add to my personal checklist in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PIPER WARRIOR EXPERIENCES ENG COMPARTMENT FIRE ON START UP.

Narrative: DURING ENG START, ENG BACKFIRED AND FLAME RESULTED. FLAME WAS EASILY SEEN IN NEAR DARKNESS. UPON SEEING FLAME, I CUT MIXTURE AND CONTINUED CRANKING ENG PER CHKLIST. FIRE SEEMED TO BE OUT. ALSO TURNED GAS OFF. AS I EXITED THE ACFT TO INSPECT ENG COMPARTMENT, THICK BLACK SMOKE BILLOWED OUT OF ENG COMPARTMENT. I OPENED COWLING AND OBSERVED FIRE UNDER ENG NEAR CARB. I WENT INTO CABIN TO FIND EXTINGUISHER AND IT WAS NOT WHERE I EXPECTED IT TO BE. I LOOKED THROUGH BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT AND DID NOT FIND THE EXTINGUISHER. BY THIS TIME THE SMOKE WAS QUITE THICK AND I FELT IT WAS BEST TO GET AWAY FROM THE PLANE AND SUMMON HELP. THE BAGS WERE LEFT IN THE PLANE, AND I COULD HAVE GOTTEN AN EXTINGUISHER OUT OF THE HANGAR, BUT DID NOT FEEL I SHOULD ENTER THE PLANE AGAIN. THE FIRE CREW WAS THERE IN ABOUT 5 MINS, AND PROMPTLY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE DAMAGE UPON INSPECTION WAS NOT NEARLY AS BAD AS IT LOOKED. THE REASON I AM WRITING THIS IS TO ENCOURAGE AN ADDITION TO CHKLIST TO FIND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER BEFORE ENG START. IT WILL BE SOMETHING I ADD TO MY PERSONAL CHKLIST IN THE FUTURE.

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.