Accident Overview
On December 30, 2022, at about 1500 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Cozy Mark IV, registration N121, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident at New River Valley Airport (PSK) in Dublin, Virginia. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Sequence of Events
The pilot departed from PSK about 1400 for a local flight and returned to the airport approximately one hour later. After landing, he began taxiing to his hangar when the engine stopped. The pilot spent about 5 minutes attempting to restart the engine, during which smoke began to enter the cockpit through a heat duct tunnel. He then turned off the fuel, the master switch, and the magnetos and exited the airplane. After exiting, he observed smoke coming from the cowling in the rear of the pusher-configured airplane. He discharged a fire extinguisher into the cowling, which reduced the smoke but did not stop it. He reported seeing no flames.
Post-Accident Actions
The airport manager and another airport employee arrived within minutes with an additional fire extinguisher. Smoke was still emanating from the cowling, and they chose to park their truck at a safe distance and remain inside, not using their fire extinguisher. Eventually, flames ignited the cowling and spread to the fuselage. After the local fire department extinguished the fire, it was determined that the fire had destroyed 90% of the fuselage, one fuel tank, and the inboard portions of both wings.
Wreckage Disposal
The pilot stated that he disposed of the airplane’s wreckage about one week after the accident, so it could not be examined after the event.