From: valrik@carina.unm.edu (Rick J. Valles)
Subject: Fire during engine start
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 92 04:42:53 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

Well, just passed my PP-ASEL checkride on Dec. 2nd, just before New Mexico 
got hit with a major snowstorm.  Since then, I've been doing some additional
specialty work with my instructor and practicing flying into the Albuquerque
ARSA and airport (ABQ).  Also flew down to the Very Large Array (VLA) radio
telescopes on the St. Augustine plains about 52 n.m. SW of my airport, Belen
(E80).  Beautiful, especially with all of the snow!  Used my new Trimble
Flightmate and it was right on.  I was directly over the Magdalena airport
(N29) when the display changed to 0.00 NM!

Anyway, when I used to live in L.A. and later when I used to visit my Parents
during Christmas (they now live here), I would get up early on Christmas Eve
and drive down to Corona Del Mar state beach.  Very peaceful.

So, this year, now that my Parents live here, I decided to start a new 
tradition by flying on Christmas Eve.  I wanted to fly out from Belen to my 
old skydiving drop zone at Valencia Air Park (a dirt/gravel runway) and see
what the place looked like these days.  I started jumping there in '77.

My trusty 172, which usually kicks right in, even in cold weather, doesn't 
start so well after I blow the initial start and flood it.  After that, the
starter stops kicking in, and I just hear a whine from it, but there isn't
any prop movement.  So, the mechanic, Jeff, walks over and we get out and 
take a look at it.  He sprays some silcone lubricant on the starter gear and
turns the prop over.  We get back in the plane and he starts it while I 
open the throttle and fully lean the mixture and get ready to reverse the 
process when it starts.  Well, it almost starts, but I'm not quick enough on
the mixture.  We try again and now the starter is doing it's thing again.
So, we get out to turn the prop again.  I notice there's some smoke coming
out of the cowling just as Jeff yells, "FIRE!"  He runs to get a fire 
extinguisher, not realizing there's a little Halon unit in the cockpit.  I
realize it, but he took off so fast I didn't know if the plane was going to
flame any second.  I should've at least thought about getting my GPS and 
headset out! :)

Jeff is back in a couple of seconds and puts out the fire, which turns out to 
be just around the nose gear.  We pull off the cowling and inspect the engine
and wiring, etc.  Everything's fine.  My instructor, who is working on the 
final details of his Kit Fox, comes out just in time to see my eyes still as
big as silver dollars!  I tell them both that I've had enough for one day 
and they can start it back up if they want.  I'm going to head up to the
Flight Deck Deli and have some breakfast and calm down!
 
Before I can scramble off, my instructor gets in the plane and has 
me start it while he takes care of the throttle and mixture.  "Piece of Cake,"
he says and gets out.  I'm looking at them and thinking, "Hey! I'm done! I've
had enough excitement for the morning!"  Then, I start to regain my composure
and decide to at least take it around the pattern a few times before the next
renter comes along shortly.  I've "burned" up most of my scheduled time!
(Fire and Ice, waiting for the frost and the flames to burn off!)

I decide to do a short field takeoff to get as much altitude as possible,
*just in case*, know what I mean?!  Everything's fine, although the air is a
little bumpy and there's a slight x-wind.  I do two takeoffs and landings and
bring it back to the pumps, where the next renter is videoing my taxi.  I'm
glad I went up.  I'm sure I would've been a little nervous the next time up!

So much for my new Christmas Eve tradition!  The fire could've been bad, but
wasn't.  It taught me a lesson about preparedness.  I read about fires during
start-up, but didn't go for the extinguisher when it happened.  Also, it wasn't
possible to blow it out with the engine after starting, since I was having
problems with the starter.  Whew!  Cheap lesson!

Well, hope you enjoyed the story and I'm glad it had a happy ending!  Just 
thought I'd pass it along for its educational value.  I hope you will be more
prepared than I was if it happens to you!

Rick J. Valles PP-ASEL