On February 28, 1990, a Beech B-19 (registration N24015) was involved in an aviation accident near Chiriaco Summit, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE OF UNDETERMINED ORIGIN DDURING ENGINE START. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After repeated engine start attempts, a fire ignited in the engine compartment. Despite shutting off fuel and mixture and cranking the engine, the fire spread and consumed the aircraft. The exact cause was not determined.
Incident Details
During an attempt to start the engine, repeated starting attempts were made. Subsequently, a fire was observed in the engine compartment. The fire was noticed, and immediate actions were taken to mitigate it.
Sequence of Events
Upon observing the fire, the fuel pump was turned off and the mixture was closed. The engine was then repeatedly cranked over in an effort to extinguish the fire. Despite these efforts, the fire spread beyond the engine compartment and eventually consumed the entire aircraft.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the fire originated from a malfunction within the engine starting system. However, the specific relationship between the malfunction and the fuel-fed engine compartment fire could not be determined. The exact cause of the starter system failure and the subsequent fire remains unidentified.