What happened
On Tuesday, July 27, 1999, at approximately 15:30, a Robin DR 400-160, registration F-GSRE, was involved in an engine fire incident at Belle Ile aerodrome. The aircraft, operated by a flying club, was being used for an instructional flight involving an instructor and a student pilot.
Following a one-hour flight and a brief 10-minute ground stop, the student pilot attempted to restart the engine. After two separate startup attempts, each lasting roughly 30 seconds, witnesses observed a burst of black smoke followed by a flame emerging from the engine area.
In response to the fire, the crew immediately took emergency actions, which included closing the fuel valve and the mixture control, and cutting the ignition, battery, and electric pump. Following the advice of the AFIS officer, who was also a professional firefighter, a witness successfully used a powder fire extinguisher to suppress the flames.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the ignition of the fire during the engine start sequence. The investigation established that the fire manifested during the second of two consecutive startup attempts.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine fire was an inappropriate startup procedure.
- The aircraft sustained minor damage as a result of the incident.