Pilot Debrief

FOUTZ ROBERT V COZY MARK IV near Dublin, VA — 2022-12-30

Final reportERA23LA100
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Date
2022-12-30
Location
Dublin, VA, USA
Airport
PSK
Aircraft
FOUTZ ROBERT V COZY MARK IV
Registration
N121
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Ground

Probable cause

A fire of undetermined origin during an attempted engine restart while taxiing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane had completed an hour-long local flight, and he was taxiing the airplane back to his hangar when the engine stopped. The pilot then spent about 5 minutes trying to restart the engine before smoke began to enter the cockpit through a heat duct tunnel. The pilot then turned off the fuel, the master switch, and magnetos and exited the airplane. The pilot reported smoke was coming from the cowling in the rear of the pusher-configured airplane. He then emptied a fire extinguisher into the cowling, and the smoke decreased, but did not stop. Flames eventually ignited the cowling and then spread to the fuselage. The local fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. The fire nearly consumed the fuselage and the inboard portions of both wings. The pilot subsequently disposed of the airplane’s wreckage, and it could not be examined after the accident; therefore, the origin of the fire could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked engine condition before taxiing after landing.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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