AAIB investigation to Nord NC856A, G-CGWR
Aircraft fire, near Spanhoe Airfield, Laxton, Northamptonshire, 23 September 2022.
Summary:
Following a routine takeoff and initial climb the engine misfired and suddenly lost power. Smelling fuel, the pilot immediately executed a successful emergency landing stopping just off the runway and within the airfield boundary. As the aircraft came to a halt there was a flash fire on the port side of the aircraft and the pilot evacuated the aircraft without injury. Despite the efforts of airport staff with fire extinguishers, the aircraft was rapidly destroyed by the fire.
All the pre-takeoff engine oil, temperature and power checks had been normal. On previous flights fuel consumption and performance were also as expected. There had been no disturbance of the engine or fuel system since the last annual Permit to Fly checks were undertaken. Whilst the investigation could not definitively establish the cause of the fire it is likely a failure of the fuel system in the engine bay enabled Avgas to be ignited on hot engine surfaces, causing a fuel fed fire which then rapidly consumed the aircraft.
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