This seems to be "sharing and learning from others mistakes" weekend so I'll share with you a few exciting moments I had this morning as 13 years of building and lots of fun flying flashed before my eyes !!!!
After diver dumping (hauling skydivers) all day yesterday in a tired C182 I was looking forward to some KR time today. I was off to the airport at 7:30AM with blue skies and light winds. I rolled the trailer out of the way, rolled out the Rans S-6 a friend of mine has in the hangar, and rolled out the KR. With everything put back in place and a quick preflight, I was ready for another YEE HAA kind of day. A quick shot of prime and a pull on the starter handle had the blades rotating. Wouldn't fire a lick. D#m*, must have flooded it so I kept the starter engaged and went to full throttle to try to clear the induction system. Still didn't hit a single time. O.K., let it set for a minute or two and let the gas evaporate. Tried it again and it coughed to life, ran maybe 10 seconds, stumbled and died. HEY, IS THAT SMOKE ROLLING OUT OF THE COWL !! SH*#, NOW WHAT DO I DO, KEEP CRANKING OR RUN FOR MY LIFE. I shut off the fuel and jumped out. As I reached the front of the KR I spotted a two inch rolling flame on the bottom of the cowl with melting, burning, dripping paint and what I learned later was melting, burning epoxy!!!!! DUMB MISTAKE #1 : I had flooded the engine. Jeff Scott told me, and maybe the net, on at least one occasion that the 0-200 is an easy starter without prime. I never listened and have on several occasions flooded the engine without any problems. DUMB MISTAKE #2 : No fire extinguisher handy. I quickly remembered the two gallon weed sprayer setting in the hangar that I use to wash down the engine. Hoping it had some water in it I made two or three 20 foot leaps to the hangar and back. It was nearly full !!!! I know you're not supposed to spray water on a fuel fire but hey, MY BABY WAS BURNING !!!! The first shot of water quickly extinguished the burning cowl on the outside so I stuck the nozzle in the access hole for the oil quickdrain, pumped like hell on the sprayer and directed the nozzle in every direction I could inside the cowl. It probably only took 10 seconds to extinguish the flame but I think I pumped the sprayer half empty. Thinking I had the fire out I ran to the truck to get my battery powered drill and bit to remove the cowl. Not knowing what shape the battery was in I grabbed the extra battery also. Turns out they were both nearly run down but between the two of them I removed the cowl. Soot everywhere but no damage at all that I could detect to the engine. The paint was not even scorched on the carb heat box. The cowl was another issue. An area about twice the size of your hand and fingers was TRASHED ! The epoxy had burned completely out of the glass cloth and you could see daylight right through the weave in several areas. I have no clue as to what ignited the fire. I'm sure I flooded the engine and supplied the fuel but there was no hint of a backfire or anything that would hint of trouble. Lesson 1: Raw fuel outside the induction system is BAD NEWS! I may remove my primer and will use a different starting procedure from now on. The engine will be cranking before I induce any fuel into the system by either cracking or pumping the throttle. Lesson 2: I intend to purchase a small fire extinguisher and carry it in the KR. Lesson 3: Resin and paint can continue to burn even after the fuel (gas) has burned off. When I repair the cowl next week I intend to build in a small stainless or aluminum catch basin under the carb that will route any fuel leakage to the access hole for the oil quickdrain rather then let it possibly pool in the cowl. Being a taildragger it will have a nice natural incline. If a fire does develop, it will keep the flames out of contact with the resin and what little fuel stays on the metal will hopefully burn off quickly. 1000+ hours and this was my first experiance with an engine fire. Hopefully it will be my last ! I'm sure others may see other lessons to be learned here and if so, good. As for me, I'M ONE LUCKY DUDE !!! My "Little Phoenix" will rise from the ashes to fly again !!! YEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !!! Larry Flesner
