On March 10, 1989, a Grumman G-164A (registration N6602Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Wynne, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: AN ENGINE FIRE DURING ENGINE START FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft was destroyed by fire after its engine backfired and ignited during startup for an aerial application operation. The plane was towed away from a hangar to prevent further damage.
What happened
The pilot reported that the incident occurred while preparing the aircraft for an aerial application mission. During the engine start sequence, the engine backfired, which immediately resulted in a fire. The flames spread rapidly, and despite efforts to extinguish them, the aircraft was completely destroyed by the fire.
The investigation
Local fire department personnel responded to the scene as the fire intensified. As the fuel tank became engulfed in flames, emergency responders pulled the aircraft away from nearby equipment and a hangar to prevent additional structural damage to surrounding facilities.