Accident Overview
On May 6, 2021, at about 1707 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28 airplane, registration N54MC, was substantially damaged during an instructional flight at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH) in Spring, Texas. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The aircraft was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Event Sequence
During the landing rollout, the flight instructor observed a loss of engine power. After vacating the runway, the instructor successfully restarted the engine on the second attempt. Shortly thereafter, both crew members noticed a fire producing smoke and extreme heat in the cabin compartment. They shut the engine off and egressed the aircraft. The electric fuel pump, which was turned on before landing as per normal procedure, remained on during the fire and egress. The emergency procedures checklist specifies that the electric fuel pump should be turned off in such a situation.
The fire substantially damaged the engine mount and firewall before being extinguished by airport fire department personnel.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination revealed that fuel had leaked from the carburetor into the air box when the electric fuel pump was energized. The carburetor was disassembled at a repair station, and no anomalies were found with the needle/seat assembly, mixture control shaft, nozzle, idle tube, accelerator pump, or throttle lever. Repair station personnel noted that if the electric fuel pump pressure exceeds 6 pounds per square inch, the carburetor needle/seat assembly will allow fuel to enter the carburetor bowl and overflow into the air box.