What happened
On 1 February 2007, a Sukhoi SU-29, registration HA-YAO, was involved in an accident at Southend Airport during a private flight operation. Following the completion of circuit flying, the pilot proceeded to the self-refuel area to replenish the aircraft's fuel.
While attempting to restart the engine, which was already warm from previous use, the pilot primed the engine. The initial start attempts were unsuccessful, with the engine firing and then stalling on two separate occasions. After the pilot replenished the air supply for the pneumatic starter, a subsequent start attempt resulted in a backfire. This backfire triggered a fire within the engine compartment.
The investigation
Upon noticing the fire, a fire officer activated the airport crash alarms. The pilot and the single passenger evacuated the aircraft through the standard canopy exit. The occupants attempted to combat the flames using two fire extinguishers retrieved from the self-refel area. However, the fire intensified, likely because it spread to the aircraft's oil tank. The airport fire services arrived on the scene and successfully extinguished the blaze.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the engine and the engine compartment.
- There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
- The pilot suggested the fire was caused by a carburettor fire, potentially resulting from the over-priming of a warm engine.