Piper PA-28-180 incident near Destin, Florida, February 1, 1992
On February 1, 1992 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7909W, suffered minor damage in an incident near Destin, Florida (Destin-Fort Walton Beach airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 1992 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Destin, Florida · Destin-Fort Walton Beach · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7909W · registry record · serial 28-1942
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STARTED THE ENG & LEFT THE AUX FUEL BOOST PUMP ON. WHILE TAXIING TO TAKE OFF, THE ENG QUIT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENG BUT OBSERVED FLAMES FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENG COWLING. THE PLT & PAX EXITED THE ACFT BUT THE PLT LEFT THE MASTER & AUXILIARY FUEL BOOST PUMP SWITCHES ON, WHICH CONTINUED TO FEED FUEL TO THE FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AFTER THE MASTER SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF & CHEMICAL APPLIED TO THE FIRE. ACCORDING TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO EXAMINED THE ACFT, IN HIS OPINION, THE PLT FLOODED THE ENG WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT, & DUE TO THE EXCESS FUEL, THE ENG BACKFIRED & THE EXCESS FUEL CAUGHT FIRE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 793 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 694 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,914 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1992; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.