Piper PA-28-161 accident near Danbury, Connecticut, February 3, 1993
On February 3, 1993, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N233PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danbury, Connecticut (Danbury Muni 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
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR AN ENGINE FIRE DURING STARTING WHICH RESULTED IN THE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S IMPROPER STARTING PROCEDURE AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1993
- Place
- Danbury, Connecticut · Danbury Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N233PA · registry record · serial 28-7816676
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW FREEZING. THE PILOT PRIMED THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE. IT RAN FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN STOPPED. HE PRIMED IT SEVERAL TIMES AGAIN AND THEN ATTEMPTED ANOTHER START. AGAIN THE ENGINE STARTED AND THEN STOPPED. HE THEN NOTICED A GLOW ON THE GROUND AND EVACUATED THE PASSENGERS WHILE HE ATTEMPTED TO CRANK THE ENGINE, HOWEVER THE FLAMES SPREAD, AND THE PILOT EVACUATED THE AIRPLANE. THE MASTER SWITCH, ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP, MIXTURE CONTROL AND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WERE LEFT ON. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL, PRIMING IS USED ONLY AFTER THE INITIAL START ATTEMPT. IN ADDITION, IF A FIRE OCCURS DURING START, THE MANUAL SAY TO SHUT OFF THE MIXTURE AND FUEL SELECTOR. THE PILOT HAD 90 HOURS TOTAL TIME.
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
- Flight time: 90 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Blue Bird Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DXR
- Destination: DXR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N233PA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.