Date: 201504
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: Cessna 150
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: None
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: Engine
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Single Pilot; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Anomaly: Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight
Result: General Evacuated
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: During a late evening return trip to my home airport; I stopped in [another airport] to wait out some thunderstorms that were passing through the area.  I landed; shut down the airplane and called FSS on my phone to get a weather briefing for the remainder of my flight.  I waited until the top of the hour when the new weather advisories were issued.  With good VFR conditions for the route; I conducted a quick preflight and prepared to depart for [home].During the start checklist I gave the engine a pump of primer.  While cranking the engine for start there were no signs of it firing or turning over.  I waited about 30 seconds and tried again without priming; as the engine was still warm from the prior flight.  Again; there were no signs that the engine would start.  I then waited over a minute; and leaned the mixture and advanced the throttle before another attempt; suspecting that the engine may have been flooded.  I cranked again and the engine sounded like it was going to start but never did.Shortly after this and while awaiting another try; I noticed some smoke near the front of the cowling.  Although I couldn't see any visible flames; I pulled out the mixture control and cranked the engine with the throttle full open as a precaution for an engine fire.  I also moved the fuel shutoff up to the closed position as best as I could; although it appeared jammed and was extremely difficult to turn.  When I got out of the airplane I noticed a small fire burning on the nose wheel.  I went back to the cabin to search for a fire extinguisher but couldn't find one.  Upon going back to the front of the airplane I noticed that there was also a small fire in the air inlet/filter.  My reaction at this point was to call 911 for help.  I removed a few personal belongings and assured that the switches were off.A police officer arrived in about 5 minutes and handed me a fire extinguisher from his vehicle; which ended up not spraying as it needed to be recharged.  The fire department arrived in the next 5 minutes and the fire was still burning in the engine cowling.  While they were preparing to put out the fire; the engine started to crank for no apparent reason; which seemed strange since everything had been turned off.  This happened for almost a minute with the engine never actually starting; until they sprayed the cowling with water to extinguish the fire.Considerations- Considering the earlier weather at my destination; it was a non-rushed evening and I wasn't hurried.- I had started the airplane three other times that day.  During a prior attempt (cold) I remembered that the engine took a little more cranking to start than similar airplanes I'd flown.- The first signs of the fire (smoke) were subtle.  Had I noticed sooner; I may have executed the engine fire during start items sooner to better contain the fire.




Synopsis: C150 pilot reported he experienced an engine fire when he tried to restart the hot engine.