In-flight engine fire engine shutdown.

Attributes
ACN	148355
Time
Date	199006
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ryy
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual departure other enroute airway : atl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	148355
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were on an IFR flight plan, climbing through 5500' to assigned altitude of 11000', at which time I discovered the left engine was on fire. I immediately pulled the mixture to that engine, shut off the fuel flow valve and feathered the propeller. I had 3 other people on board at the time. My front seat passenger was in the left seat (he is a private pilot, but is not INS rated). I had him declare an emergency to ATC and to deal with them while I dealt with the engine fire. Soon after I shut the engine down the fire was extinguished. We received a vector back to mccollum airport and landed west/O further event. At the time we declared the emergency, the controller stated that we were 7 mi from west GA regional airport and 9 mi from mccollum. By that time I was convinced the fire was out, so I elected to go to my home airport (mccollum). The controller asked if I wanted the equipment. Again, since I was reasonably sure the fire was out, I declined to request emergency equipment. In retrospect, that was dumb decision since I had no way to verify the fire was out. Fortunately, the fire was, in fact, out. Mechanics discovered that the problem was a blown oil seal which released oil onto the manifold which then ignited. I made a report of the incident both to the local FAA FSDO and to NTSB.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENGINE FIRE ENGINE SHUTDOWN.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, CLBING THROUGH 5500' TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000', AT WHICH TIME I DISCOVERED THE LEFT ENG WAS ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE MIXTURE TO THAT ENG, SHUT OFF THE FUEL FLOW VALVE AND FEATHERED THE PROP. I HAD 3 OTHER PEOPLE ON BOARD AT THE TIME. MY FRONT SEAT PAX WAS IN THE LEFT SEAT (HE IS A PVT PLT, BUT IS NOT INS RATED). I HAD HIM DECLARE AN EMER TO ATC AND TO DEAL WITH THEM WHILE I DEALT WITH THE ENG FIRE. SOON AFTER I SHUT THE ENG DOWN THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. WE RECEIVED A VECTOR BACK TO MCCOLLUM ARPT AND LANDED W/O FURTHER EVENT. AT THE TIME WE DECLARED THE EMER, THE CTLR STATED THAT WE WERE 7 MI FROM W GA REGIONAL ARPT AND 9 MI FROM MCCOLLUM. BY THAT TIME I WAS CONVINCED THE FIRE WAS OUT, SO I ELECTED TO GO TO MY HOME ARPT (MCCOLLUM). THE CTLR ASKED IF I WANTED THE EQUIP. AGAIN, SINCE I WAS REASONABLY SURE THE FIRE WAS OUT, I DECLINED TO REQUEST EMER EQUIP. IN RETROSPECT, THAT WAS DUMB DECISION SINCE I HAD NO WAY TO VERIFY THE FIRE WAS OUT. FORTUNATELY, THE FIRE WAS, IN FACT, OUT. MECHS DISCOVERED THAT THE PROB WAS A BLOWN OIL SEAL WHICH RELEASED OIL ONTO THE MANIFOLD WHICH THEN IGNITED. I MADE A RPT OF THE INCIDENT BOTH TO THE LCL FAA FSDO AND TO NTSB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.