What happened
On July 28, 2025, at approximately 1800 central daylight time, a Cessna 182P, registration N8243M, was involved in an accident near Bolivar, Missouri. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal flight.
While the pilot was advancing the throttle to taxi away from a hangar, a loud popping sound occurred, followed immediately by flames appearing both inside and outside the engine cowling. The pilot responded by closing the fuel shut-off valve and turning the master switch off. The pilot then exited the aircraft to retrieve a fire extinguisher from a nearby vehicle, but the aircraft was fully engulfed in flames by the time the pilot returned. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that an engine fuel primer line had melted and fused to the alternator output wire.