Incident Overview
Following a landing at an unattended airport, the aircraft experienced engine failure while back-taxiing. During an attempt to restart the engine, the pilot heard a loud "pop" emanating from the engine compartment, followed by the appearance of white smoke and flames. The pilot and a passenger exited the aircraft, and the pilot proceeded to a nearby telephone to contact the fire department.
Fire Extinguisher Status
A hand-held fire extinguisher was located in the baggage compartment of the aircraft. However, neither the pilot nor the passenger used the extinguisher during the incident.
Maintenance History
A review of the aircraft's maintenance records revealed that a factory-overhauled engine had been installed 60 flight hours prior to the accident. Additionally, the aircraft was noted to have been in poor mechanical condition when its annual inspection was conducted five months before the accident.
Wreckage Examination
Inspection of the wreckage determined that ignition first occurred near the bottom of the firewall. However, the exact source of the fire could not be identified during the examination.